Modi, Carney Push For Concrete Results In India-Canada Partnership

NEW DELHI-Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on October 13 held a telephone conversation and agreed to strengthen bilateral ties, with a focus on delivering concrete outcomes in trade, energy, technology, security and people-to-people relations.

“Had a warm and productive conversation with Prime Minister Mark Carney. We agreed to build on the positive momentum in India-Canada ties and work towards concrete outcomes across key areas of our Strategic Partnership, including trade, energy, technology, security and people-to-people ties,” Modi wrote on X after the call.

“Together, India and Canada are contributing towards a more stable and prosperous world,” he added.

On October 13, Canadian High Commissioner to India Christopher Cooter described bilateral ties as being at their strongest, citing the positive relationship between the two leaders and regular high-level engagements.

“The chemistry between our two Prime Ministers is excellent. They have met four times in just over a year. Officials are also meeting regularly,” Cooter said ahead of Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s official visit to India.

Anand’s visit would mark her 10th meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar over the past year, Cooter said. He also noted that Canada’s national security adviser had recently visited India for discussions with his Indian counterpart.

Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu is expected to visit India the following week with a delegation of 300 Canadian business representatives. The week-long visit will include stops in several cities in southern India, Cooter said.

The two countries are also pursuing dialogue on energy, migration and defense, with a defense-related visit expected in the near future. At least six other Canadian ministers have visited India over the past year, while Carney travelled to India in March, Cooter said.

Modi is expected to visit Canada in early December, when the two countries hope to sign their first free trade agreement, according to Cooter. Negotiations began in March this year. (IANS)