Canada's foreign minister Anita Anand calls visit 'systematic' step towards economic, security ties with India

Canada's foreign minister Anita Anand and PM Modi (X/@narendramodi)

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand has described her recent trip to India as a component of Ottawa’s “systematic approach” to relations with New Delhi, emphasising that progress will advance gradually across multiple sectors.

Speaking via videoconference from Mumbai before leaving India, she said the visit was intended to “be the initial phase of a broader economic framework,” referring to the joint declaration the two nations released, reported Hindustan Times.

She clarified that while discussions on a free trade pact were not yet scheduled, “a free trade negotiation and process would augment already strong economic ties.”

During her time in Mumbai, Anand engaged with corporate leaders and financial groups, the report said. “I met with the business community in Mumbai today. I met with the Canadian pension funds in Mumbai today,” she noted, highlighting extensive existing business links.

She added there was “a significant level of economic interaction between the Canadian and the Indian economy,” and pointed out the two countries would see “increased interaction… in order to jointly achieve the objective of greater trade resilience.”

As per the report, energy cooperation was one of the areas she said drew consistent attention. “There has been an interest in Canadian energy, in LNG, in solar, in nuclear, and the list goes on,” Anand remarked, adding that Prime Minister (Mark Carney) has repeatedly reiterated that there will be work in Canada "as we augment to an energy superpower". This goal, she said “is well recognised in India.”

Diplomatic capacity and consular services also formed part of the talks. Anand acknowledged that both countries were restoring staff levels in their missions.

“We are building back to a complement of Canadian diplomats across the country,” she said, revealing she and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar agreed “that we would staff up as we had been before in order to service our respective populations.”

She explained that Ottawa’s stepwise plan began with “ensuring that the consular and the diplomatic positions are filled, beginning with the High Commissioner,” along with maintaining law enforcement and security discussions between the two governments.

Anand also underscored that security concerns remained central to Canada’s stance, HT reported. “I raised at all points issues relating to transnational repression, issues relating to the safety and security of every Canadian citizen, and the importance of an independent legal investigation that must always investigate crimes that have occurred on Canadian soil,” she said.

She referenced her discussions with Jaishankar, calling attention to “the importance of the security dialogue and ensuring that public security in Canada is one of the building blocks of this relationship as we go forward step by step", the report said.