On May 25, 2025, a significant yet cautiously optimistic moment unfolded in the India-Canada diplomacy. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand held their first telephonic conversation – a symbolic and strategic attempt to thaw relations that had been frozen in diplomatic winter since 2023.

So, what could this outreach mean for bilateral ties going forward – diplomatically, economically, and geopolitically?

The roots of the current diplomatic standoff trace back to September 2023, when then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated Khalistani separatist, in British Columbia. India vehemently denied the accusations, labelling them “absurd" and “politically motivated."

The fallout was swift and severe:

-Diplomatic expulsions from both sides.

-A complete freeze on trade talks.

-Cancellation of high-level visits.

-Heightened tensions over pro-Khalistani activism in Canada.

The damage was substantial, particularly for two nations with deep people-to-people ties, a burgeoning trade relationship, and strategic convergence in the Indo-Pacific.

The political winds in Canada shifted in April 2025, when Mark Carney replaced Trudeau as Prime Minister. Carney, a former central banker with a globalist outlook, immediately signalled a desire to restore ties with India. The appointment of Anita Anand – a Canadian of Indian origin – as Foreign Minister further underlined a potential........

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