India and Canada have decided to reappoint High Commissioners to one another's capitals in the near future, the first of a series of "calibrated steps" aimed at restoring stability to what has been referred to as a "very important relationship," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.
The decision was made after a "very positive and constructive meeting" between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the margins of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis.
The meeting espoused the significance of India-Canada relations, which is rooted in shared values, democracy and the rule of law, people-to-people interaction and numerous other similarities," Misri stated in a video address. "The two leaders agreed to take 'calibrated steps' to repair relations, with the 'first one of these steps that was agreed upon was to restore High Commissioners to each other's capitals at an early date. Other diplomatic steps will follow,'
Looking to the future, Modi and Carney also pledged to restart senior-level and working-level discussions in areas like trade, connectivity, and people-to-people relations—designed to provide new impetus to the bilateral relationship. Relations between the two countries took a sharp turn for the worse last year when India recalled its high commissioner and half a dozen other diplomats after Ottawa accused them of being involved in the murder of pro-Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India responded by sending home an equal number of Canadian diplomats.
During the meeting on Tuesday, the two countries also discussed possible cooperation in areas like clean energy, cutting-edge technologies, artificial intelligence, food security, and management of strategic minerals and supply chains. "In light of the stalled trade negotiations between the two nations, my leaders also agreed to ask their officials to take it up at an early date," Misri said, adding further that Modi and Carney had agreed to stay in touch and arrange another meeting at the earliest opportunity.
The Office of the Canadian Prime Minister issued a concurrent statement, highlighting that Carney and Modi reaffirmed the pillars of the Canada-India relationship: mutual respect, rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. "The leaders agreed to appoint new high commissioners, with a view to resuming regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries," the statement stated.
Apart from diplomatic relations, the discussion further highlighted the deep cultural and historical connections between the two countries, Indo-Pacific cooperation, and economic partnerships across supply chains and energy transition. Carney also "raised priorities on the G7 agenda, including transnational crime and repression, security, and the rules-based order," with an interest in deepening cooperation in emerging areas such as digital infrastructure, food security, and critical minerals.
Tensions boiled over in October last year, when India expelled six Canadian diplomats and recalled High Commissioner Sanjay Verma, in retaliation for Ottawa's attempt to connect him and other officials to the Nijjar probe. New Delhi hotly denied the accusations at the time.
Verma was tarred as a "person of interest" by the Canadian government over the June 2023 killing of Nijjar, a Canadian citizen tarred as a Khalistani terrorist by New Delhi. Before further diplomatic repercussions could arise, India pre-emptively withdrew Verma along with five other named envoys.
Talking to PTI Video, Verma had strongly condemned the Canadian response, terming it as "the pits. This is the most unprofessional way to handle a bilateral relation. There are tools of diplomacy in the hands of a diplomat. Those tools could have been used" rather than seeking interrogation of senior diplomats.
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