New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand held comprehensive talks in New Delhi on October 13, aiming to restore and reinvigorate the mechanisms vital to advancing bilateral partnership. Both leaders agreed on an ambitious roadmap for India-Canada relations to meet the shared goals set by their prime ministers.

Welcoming Anand on her first visit to India as Canada’s Foreign Minister, Jaishankar recalled recent engagements between the two nations, including meetings between National Security Advisers and trade ministers. “India-Canada bilateral relations have been steadily progressing in the last few months. We are working to restore and reinvigorate the mechanisms necessary to advance our partnership,” he said.

Highlighting the “productive” meeting between National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Canadian NSA Nathalie G. Drouin, Jaishankar called it “an important first step towards enhancing our security cooperation.” The foreign ministries also met recently to review overall relations, while trade ministers exchanged views on economic cooperation.

The joint statement issued after the talks highlighted mutual respect for democratic values, the rule of law, and sovereignty as foundational to the renewed partnership. It stressed the importance of a strong and resilient bilateral relationship amid global economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions.

The roadmap focuses on boosting economic cooperation, securing supply chains, and reinforcing strategic stability. Both ministers expressed satisfaction with the rise in bilateral trade, which reached USD 23.66 billion in 2024, and the expanding presence of Indian and Canadian enterprises in each other’s markets.