Key Takeaways
- EAM Dr S Jaishankar to visit Canada for G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
- Visit marks significant progress in India-Canada relations reset
- Follows months of diplomatic efforts after 2023-24 tensions
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will travel to Canada next week, signaling a major breakthrough in bilateral relations that had deteriorated significantly in 2023-24. The visit represents the most substantial step yet in the ongoing diplomatic reset between the two nations.
G7 Meeting Agenda
Dr Jaishankar will attend the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Ontario’s Niagara Region on November 11-12. Canada, as the current G7 Presidency holder, is hosting the gathering for the second time this year.
A Canadian government statement outlined that “The meeting will bring together G7 ministers to discuss global challenges and strengthen international collaboration. The agenda will cover thematic issues including security and prosperity, as well as important work on economic resilience.”
India has maintained its status as a regular G7 summit invitee since France revived the tradition in 2019.
Recent Diplomatic Thaw
The upcoming visit follows Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s trip to New Delhi last month – the first by a Canadian cabinet minister in two years. During her visit, Anand held extensive discussions with Dr Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and notably called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Both countries announced a new cooperation roadmap that included restarting the energy dialogue and reviving the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee.
From Crisis to Reset
India-Canada relations had reached their lowest point after former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau alleged in 2023 that Indian agents were involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom India designates as a Khalistan separatist and terrorist. New Delhi dismissed the accusations as “absurd.”
The diplomatic standoff escalated with public exchanges and the recall of high commissioners. The turning point came when Mark Carney became Canadian Prime Minister in early 2025, having committed during his election campaign to repairing ties with India.
A crucial May 29 phone conversation between Jaishankar and Anand paved the way for Canada’s invitation to India for the June G7 Summit. By August, both nations had restored their high commissioners, followed by National Security Advisers’ talks and foreign office consultations in September, cementing the relationship reset.
