Trade to trust: Rebuilding Canada-India partnership

Canadian foreign minister Anita Anand’s visit to Delhi and Mumbai last week marks a new juncture in Canada-India relations.

- Karthik Nachiappan

The return of Donald Trump to the White House, Mark Carney’s rise to the prime minister's office in Ottawa, and a transformed global landscape have all shaped this moment — one where both countries appear poised to refocus their relationship after a reset earlier this summer. Ottawa and Delhi have decided to anchor this reset on economic security, enabling both countries to support each other's economic interests in ways that strengthen sovereignty and resilience. This approach represents a major departure from the past.

For years, Ottawa has viewed India largely through a familiar prism: A bulwark against China, an attractive market, a source of immigrants, and a key node in the Indo-Pacific. Going forward, India must be seen as a peer and strategic partner — one to engage across critical domains such as emerging technologies, energy, the climate crisis, agriculture, and defence. Trump's return has only heightened India’s importance, given its high growth rates.

Focusing on economic security means making India more than just a trade partner. The ambitious joint statement following Anand’s visit testifies to that intent. Building a mutually beneficial partnership that enhances resilience, reduces dependencies, manages supply-chain risks, and deepens coordination on digital and clean-energy technologies will be crucial.