From chill to collaboration: India and Canada rekindle partnership

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand, on Monday, October 13, agreed on a new roadmap to strengthen bilateral ties and instructed their respective teams to begin implementation.

Anand also met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss India-Canada ties.

Key areas of cooperation outlined in the roadmap include security, trade, investment, agriculture, science and technology, artificial intelligence (AI), civil nuclear collaboration, critical minerals,

and energy.

Both ministers acknowledged that a robust India-Canada relationship is vital amid ongoing global economic uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions.

“Reviving this partnership will not only create opportunities for enhanced economic cooperation but also help mitigate vulnerabilities arising from shifting global alliances, ensure more reliable supply chains, and reinforce strategic stability in an increasingly complex international environment,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a joint statement.

Canada's Foreign Minister Anita Anand is on a 2-day official visit to India. She held bilateral talks with S Jaishankar in New Delhi with an aim to revitalising India-Canada ties.#indiacanadaties #jaishankar #justintrudeau #anitaanand #bilateraltalks pic.twitter.com/gZNTMLO76Z

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) October 13, 2025

Resumption of Canad-India CEO Forum

They agreed to resume the Canada-India CEO Forum, which will convene business leaders from both countries to recommend strategies for boosting trade and investment in clean technology, infrastructure, agri-food, and digital innovation.

In 2024, bilateral trade between India and Canada reached $23.66 billion. Both ministers noted the growing presence of Indian and Canadian enterprises in each other's markets.

On climate action, the two sides committed to collaborating across a broad spectrum of areas, including expanding renewable energy capacity, decarbonising heavy industries, reducing plastic pollution, managing chemicals responsibly, and promoting sustainable consumption.

Critical Minerals Annual Dialogue

They also agreed to re-establish the Canada-India Ministerial Energy Dialogue (CIMED), promote two-way trade in LNG and LPG, and encourage investment in oil and gas exploration and production.

The meeting concluded with the decision to hold the first Critical Minerals Annual Dialogue in Toronto in March 2026, on the sidelines of the Prospectors and Developers Association Conference.

This meeting marked Minister Anand’s first official visit to India since assuming the role of Foreign Affairs Minister in May 2025. The two ministers have maintained regular contact over the phone regarding bilateral relations.

Renewal of India-Canada bilateral cooperation

India and Canada have made progress through several mechanisms in recent months, including a meeting between their national security advisors on September 18 in New Delhi.

Jaishankar emphasised the role of foreign ministers in guiding the renewal of bilateral cooperation: “Our responsibility as foreign ministers is to shepherd the process of rebuilding our cooperation with the interests of our people and respective prime ministers. As PM Modi noted during his meeting with PM Carney, India's approach is to move forward with a positive mindset,” he said.

“We seek to derisk the international economy today by forging strong partnerships of growing range and depth,” he added.

Dinesh K Patnaik, Indian High Commissioner to Canada, also attended the meeting.

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