India has invited Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to visit New Delhi for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in what could pave the way for broader discussions on economic cooperation and a possible free-trade deal.
According to The Globe and Mail, Carney has been asked to attend next year’s Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in New Delhi. The previous edition of the summit, held in Paris, brought together world leaders, CEOs, and experts in the AI sector.
India’s new High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Kumar Patnaik, said that if Carney accepts the invitation, Prime Minister Modi will make time to discuss key bilateral matters during his visit. He added that India hopes the meeting can take place before March, ideally ahead of the summer months.
India-Canada making ‘sincere effort’ to repair ties
Dinesh Kumar Patnaik had earlier said both India and Canada are making a “sincere effort” to mend strained diplomatic ties and focus on trade and investment, especially as both countries face ongoing tariff tensions with the United States.
Free-trade talks were put on hold in late 2023 after then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Modi government of being involved in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, Canada. There were also other claims linking Indian agents to murders, extortion, and violent activities in Canada, which the Indian government denied.
Diplomatic relations began improving after Mark Carney and PM Modi met at the G7 summit in Alberta in June. Since then, high-level discussions have continued, focusing on national security and economic cooperation, according to The Globe and Mail Canada.
Modi, Carney expected to attend G20 summit in Johannesburg
Both PM Modi and Candian PM Carney are expected to attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg on November 22-23, and both countries are reportedly working on arranging a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the event.
During Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s visit to India, both countries announced plans to start trade discussions. Prime Minister Modi also met Anand, underlining the significance India places on its relationship with Canada.
However, India is still waiting for Canada’s response on resuming the free trade talks, which were paused in 2023 after former PM Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian officials were behind the killing of Sikh separatist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Patnaik added that if Canada is willing to restart negotiations, India is ready to fast-track them, noting that bilateral trade could reach at least $50 billion if the right environment is created.