India, Canada Agree to Post Envoys; Restore Stability in Bilateral Ties

Signaling their intent to repair strained ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney have agreed to pursue "constructive" steps to restore stability in India-Canada ties, including the early return of envoys to each other's capitals.

- MPOST BUREAU

Modi and Carney held bilateral talks on Tuesday on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis, focusing on resetting the bilateral ties that plummeted to an all-time low following a diplomatic spat over the killing of a Khalistani separatist.

The two prime ministers also underscored the importance of restarting senior ministerial as well as working-level engagements across various domains to "rebuild trust" and "bring momentum" to the relationship, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of India-Canada ties, based on shared democratic values, respect for the rule of law and commitment to upholding the "principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity," it said.

The statement assumes significance as India has been pressing Canada to not allow pro-Khalistani elements to carry out anti-India activities.

The two leaders underlined the importance of restarting the stalled negotiations on the early progress trade agreement (EPTA), with a view to paving the way for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA).

In a social media post, Modi said India and Canada are connected by a "strong belief in democracy, freedom and rule of law" and that he and Carney are looking forward to working closely to add momentum to the India-Canada friendship.