PM Modi, Mark Carney to chart 'forward-looking' roadmap for bilateral ties

New Delhi, Feb 26 (PTI) India on Thursday said the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney next week will provide an opportunity to advance a forward-looking partnership between the two nations.

Carney will undertake a four-day visit to India beginning Friday, in his first trip to the country as the prime minister.

The visit is largely aimed at imparting a new momentum to the bilateral ties that came under severe strain following a diplomatic row over the killing of a Khalistani separatist in 2023.

It is learnt that trade, energy and technology will be the main focus areas of talks between Carney and Modi.

The Canadian prime minister's first stop will be Mumbai, where he will participate in separate business engagements, interact with top Indian and Canadian corporate leaders, financial experts and innovators.

The Canadian leader will arrive in New Delhi on Sunday, and the two prime ministers will hold wide-ranging talks on Monday.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said both leaders will review the progress achieved till date across diverse areas of the India-Canada strategic partnership, building on their earlier meetings in Kananaskis and Johannesburg in June and November, respectively.

"They will also take stock of ongoing cooperation in key pillars, including trade and investment; energy; critical minerals; agriculture; education, research, and innovation; and people-to-people ties. The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and global developments," the MEA said.

The two prime ministers will also attend the India-Canada CEOs Forum on Monday.

"The visit comes at an important juncture in normalisation of India-Canada bilateral relations," the MEA said.

"The two prime ministers have earlier agreed to pursue a constructive and balanced partnership grounded in mutual respect for each other's concerns and sensitivities, strong people-to-people ties, and growing economic complementarities," it said.

"The forthcoming meeting between the leaders will provide an opportunity to reaffirm the positive momentum and shared vision of India and Canada in building a forward-looking partnership," it added in a statement.

In the last few months, India and Canada have taken several steps to normalise relations.

The India-Canada relations hit rock bottom following then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in 2023 of a potential Indian link to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India had dismissed Trudeau's accusation as "absurd".

In October 2024, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case. India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.

However, Liberal Party leader Carney's victory in the parliamentary election in April last year helped in beginning the process to reset relations.

Subsequently, both sides have already posted their high commissioners in each other's capitals.

In June last year, Modi travelled to Canada's Kananaskis to attend the G7 summit. Modi and Carney held extensive talks on the margins of the summit with a focus on rebuilding the ties. PTI MPB RHL