India, Canada to revive ties with ministerial talks on trade, investment

India and Canada agree to deepen cooperation across trade, investment, energy, climate and technology, with ministerial talks planned soon

India and Canada on Monday agreed on a series of measures to revive and deepen their bilateral relationship. The announcement followed talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who is currently on an official visit to India.

 

Anita Anand in India: India-Canada joint statement

 

In a joint statement, the two ministers said the visit "is a follow-up to the guidance provided by the Prime Ministers of the two countries during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, to take calibrated measures to restore stability in the relationship".

 

The statement said that earlier steps had already been taken, including:

• Reinstating High Commissioners (August 28, 2025)

• Advancing India-Canada security cooperation (September 18, 2025)

• Continuing senior official-level discussions on security and law enforcement

• Pre-Foreign Office consultations and a Foreign Ministers’ meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York

 

These measures were aimed at building "a constructive and balanced partnership grounded in respect for each other’s concerns and sensitivities, strong people-to-people ties, and growing economic complementarities." 

 

  Ministerial-level talks to begin soon

 

Both ministers emphasised the importance of economic cooperation amid global uncertainty. They said that bilateral trade had reached $23.66 billion in 2024, with Indian and Canadian businesses increasingly present in each other’s markets.

 

As a next step, they agreed to "commence, at an early date, ministerial-level discussions on bilateral trade and investment informed by today’s economic realities and each country’s strategic priorities". This is intended to guide initiatives in goods, services and investment.

 

Other trade-related plans include:

• Resuming the Canada-India CEO Forum, bringing executives from both countries together to recommend actionable measures to boost trade and investment in sectors like clean technology, infrastructure, agri-food and digital innovation.

• Convening the Forum alongside a senior-level trade mission in early 2026.

 

Collaboration on climate, energy

 

The statement said that both countries have a shared commitment to environmental protection and climate action. Initiatives will include:

• Expanding bilateral cooperation on renewable energy, decarbonising industries, and reducing plastic pollution

• Re-establishing the Canada-India Ministerial Energy Dialogue

• Promoting trade and investment in LNG, LPG and clean energy technologies

• Supporting energy security through the exchange of best practices and policy frameworks

• Holding the first Critical Minerals Annual Dialogue in Toronto in March 2026   

 

Science, tech

 

Recognising the role of innovation in economic growth, both sides agreed to:

• Relaunch the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee

• Promote partnerships in AI and digital infrastructure

• Encourage Canadian participation in India’s AI Impact Summit in February 2026

 

Agriculture and education

 

Both ministers highlighted collaboration in agriculture to enhance trade, productivity and climate-resilient practices. They also stressed the importance of educational and cultural exchanges:

• Strengthening research partnerships in AI, cybersecurity and fintech

• Expanding Canadian academic presence in India

• Revitalising the Joint Working Group on Higher Education

 

To ensure implementation of these ambitious plans, India and Canada both agreed that their High Commissions and Consulates will deploy expertise across economic, political, defence and technology domains.