Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in India Friday for talks aimed at doubling bilateral trade and repairing diplomatic ties shattered by assassination allegations.
Carney landed in Mumbai February 27 before traveling to New Delhi for a March 1 meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Trump’s tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, and auto parts are driving the urgency. More than 75 percent of Canadian exports went to the United States in 2024.
Relations between Ottawa and New Delhi collapsed in 2023 after Canada accused Modi’s government of orchestrating the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh activist. India dismissed the allegations. Both countries expelled diplomats throughout 2024.
Carney replaced Justin Trudeau as Liberal Party leader in 2025. Modi immediately congratulated Carney and called for stronger partnership. The two leaders met at Canada’s G7 summit in June 2025 and agreed to restore high-level diplomatic posts.
India’s foreign ministry called Carney’s visit a “significant step” in strengthening ties. Spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said the partnership is “anchored in shared democratic values, strong people-to-people ties, and expanding cooperation across diverse sectors.”
The countries plan to finalize a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement within one year. Previous negotiations stalled over market access for Canadian agricultural products. India wants wheat and pulses. Canada seeks investment in India’s infrastructure expansion.
India’s High Commissioner to Canada Dinesh Patnaik said his country wants Canadian uranium for nuclear power expansion, plus crude oil, liquefied natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas. “We are willing to buy whatever Canada is offering,” Patnaik told reporters.
Canada holds the world’s fourth-largest crude oil reserves and ranks fifth in overall production. India, with 1.4 billion people, represents a massive market for Canadian energy exports. Carney pledged to double non-US exports within a decade.
Carney deliberately avoided Punjab during his India trip. The state is home to India’s Sikh population and the origin of separatist tensions. Nijjar advocated for an independent Khalistan state before his 2023 killing in British Columbia.
Foreign Minister Anita Anand told reporters that transnational repression concerns “are always at the forefront of our minds” but would not detail whether they would feature in Modi talks.
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