Doval discusses bilateral issues with Canadian NSA

The national security advisers of India and Canada met in New Delhi for bilateral consultations aimed at addressing the concerns of both countries, marking another key step in the normalisation of bilateral relations that were hit by a diplomatic row over the killing of a Khalistani separatist two years ago.

- Rezaul H Laskar

‘National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin on Thursday, three weeks after India and Canada appointed new high commissioners in each other's capitals. Bilateral ties went into a tailspin when former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged in September 2023 that Indian government agents were linked to the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the town of Surrey that year.

“The NSA of Canada held talks with our NSA...[on September] 18. This is part of the regular bilateral security consultations that happen between the two countries,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing on Friday.

The meeting between the two NSAs was an opportunity for following up on the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the margins of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis in June, he said.