Canadian FM Anita Anand to visit India on Oct 13 amid efforts to restore bilateral ties

Ottawa: Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand will embark on a diplomatic tour of India, Singapore, and China from October 12 to 17 (Canadian time) to advance cooperation and strengthen bilateral relations under Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, the government said on Saturday.

“Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced she will travel to India, Singapore and China from October 12 to October 17 to advance bilateral relations and cooperation with these countries as part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy,” the Canadian government said in an official statement.

During her visit to India, starting October 13 (Indian time), Anand will meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, as both nations work toward establishing a framework for strategic cooperation on key issues such as trade diversification, energy transformation, and security. This visit come amid the efforts of the Carney administration to restore ties with India.

Anand will also visit Mumbai to engage with Canadian and Indian firms focused on investment, job creation, and economic opportunity across both nations.

The visit comes months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney in June on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, in Alberta, Canada, for a crucial bilateral meeting aimed at reviving strained relations.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said that the two leaders had a “very positive and constructive meeting” and agreed on “calibrated steps to bring stability back to the relationship”.

“Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada have just a short while ago concluded a very positive and constructive meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit here in Kananaskis in Canada,” Misri had said earlier.

The meeting underscored the shared intent to reset the India-Canada relationship, which has faced recent tensions.

This renewed engagement was followed by the appointments of new High Commissioners — Christopher Cooter as Canada’s envoy to New Delhi, and Dinesh K. Patnaik as India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa.

Last month, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval also met his Canadian counterpart, Nathalie G. Drouin, and discussed strengthening the bilateral relationship in areas such as counterterrorism, combating transnational organised crime and Intelligence exchanges.

According to the MEA, both sides acknowledged the clear momentum for rebuilding trust and expanding cooperation at the highest levels of political leadership. They had productive discussions on advancing the bilateral relationship, including in areas such as counterterrorism, combating transnational organised crime and Intelligence exchanges.

Both sides also agreed to work closely on the way forward and adopt a collaborative approach towards a new chapter in bilateral relations.

Following her India visit, Anand will travel to Singapore to meet Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan to “further strengthen Canada’s cooperation with one of its most important partners in Southeast Asia,” the statement noted.

As Canada and Singapore mark 60 years of diplomatic relations, Anand will highlight progress on the proposed Canada-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and push for the conclusion of negotiations by 2026.

In the final leg of her tour, Anand will visit China to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi and continue discussions on the Canada-China Strategic Partnership, marking 55 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two nations.

“This meeting builds on the commitment made by Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Premier of China, Li Qiang, to regularise channels of communication between the two countries. The ministers will discuss the Canada-China Strategic Partnership, the evolving bilateral and global context, as well as issues of importance to the Canadian economy,” the statement added.

–IANS