Pragmatism and positivity: How Canada and India are forging a reset in tense relations

Two years after a bitter diplomatic row over the killing of a Sikh activist on Canadian soil, India and Canada have tentatively drawn up a road map to rebuild their strained relationship.

This is the end result of a two-day visit to New Delhi and Mumbai, which Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand described as a success.

“(We’re) working on elevating our relationship,” she told CBC News during an interview in Mumbai.

“We are now moving forward from September to October 2023,” Anand added, referring to the time when diplomatic relations between the two countries were completely derailed.

The relationship collapsed after then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian government agents of having a role in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nigar outside a gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship, in Surrey, British Columbia, in 2023.

India rejected these allegations as ridiculous and politically motivated. Relations developed after a year, as each country expelled the other’s senior diplomats.

Canadian authorities are still investigating alleged transnational repression – the silencing of the targeted diaspora community – with a focus on Sikhs in Canada, where four Indian nationals face charges related to Najjar’s killing.

The tension between Canada and India has not evaporated; Instead, a more realistic approach to rebuilding the relationship has emerged.

Both countries are suffering from punitive tariffs imposed by the United States and are trying to diversify their trade options.

“We are at a moment when economic diplomacy and pragmatism are crucial,” Anand said.

Also important, from India’s perspective, are the Canadian elections earlier this year that saw Mark Carney take over as Prime Minister.

This improved slightly when Carney invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the G7 meeting in Kananaskis, Alta., last June.

The two countries have appointed new high commissioners, and Anand confirmed that India has agreed to return the same number of Canadian diplomats it had in the country before.

Positive tone in their statement

The trip, Anand’s first to India as foreign minister, began with a meeting with Modi and ended on Tuesday after multiple talks with Mumbai-based business leaders and investors.

According to Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Modi spoke with Anand on Monday about “India’s vision for cooperation (with Canada) and how best to achieve it.”

Jaishankar added that New Delhi wants to move diplomatic relations forward “with a positive mindset,” noting that bilateral relations between the two countries “have been progressing steadily in the past few months.”

This positivity can be seen in the joint statement of ministers, where the document issued after the meeting is peppered with phrases such as “renewing momentum,” “rebuilding confidence,” and “deepening cooperation.”

The word “trade” appeared eight times, as officials agreed to work together in areas including agriculture, vital minerals and artificial intelligence technology – a clear sign that the economy is top of mind for both countries.

that it First high-level statement The two countries agreed to release them jointly within seven years.

But something is missing

But what was absent from the statement was the issue of transnational repression, with a passing and indirect reference to respecting “each other’s concerns and sensitivities.”

Anand said she repeatedly raised Canada’s concerns about public safety in her meetings with Indian officials, and that the words in the statement were carefully chosen.

“At every stage, and in every conversation, I made sure to raise many topics within the framework of public safety,” the minister told CBC News. “Including transnational repression, including public safety, including an independent RCMP investigation, including the ban on the Bishnoi gang.”

Ottawa recently listed The Bashnoi gang as a terrorist entityCanadian police claimed that Indian government agents were working with members of the group to target pro-Khalistan activists within the Sikh diaspora. New Delhi denied the allegation.

For India’s former top diplomat in Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, who left quickly in 2024 when he was fired along with his colleagues, the suggestion that relations are slowly rebuilding is a “deliberate calibration.” “A departure from the public megaphone diplomacy that Ottawa had previously practiced.”

Writing for digital news outlet India NarativeVerma said the message from the two-day visit was that “Differences will be managed, not magnified; Participation will be organized and not sporadic.”

The visit angered Sikhs for Justice, the group Najjar led, which is still organizing.

The group issued a statement calling for Anand’s “silence” and for trade and diplomatic relations to be prioritized “over the safety and sovereignty of Canadians.”

To this end, Sikhs for Justice has filed a formal request for an investigation with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner of Canada against Anand, for allegedly violating her oath of office.

The group is also organizing another group The referendum on Punjab’s independence from India is next month – an event that is likely to anger the Modi government.

Others in the Canadian business community praised the tentative rapprochement.

“We are pleased to see that things are picking up where we left off two years ago,” said Goldie Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada.

“As Canada continues its diversification strategy, bilateral trade and investment opportunities with India must be seized.”