Canada’s foreign minister Anita Anand on Wednesday emphasised India’s importance as a “valuable partner” amid geopolitical uncertainty as she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar to strengthen ties in trade, energy and security.
Modi said on social media that he and Anand had a productive discussion on strengthening ties in trade, technology, security, energy, education and people-to-people exchanges. “India is committed to building a constructive and forward-looking strategic partnership with Canada that delivers tangible benefits to the people of both countries,” Modi said.
“Guided by our leadership and sustained engagement across government and industry, we are advancing our strategic partnership,” Jaishankar said in a social media post. Anand “highlighted the importance that Canada places on India as a valuable partner, particularly at a time of geopolitical uncertainty”, according to a Canadian readout on the meeting between the foreign ministers.
Modi is expected to club his visit to Canada with trips to Belgium, for the signing of the India-European Union free trade agreement, and the US, to attend the G20 Summit.
Anand also said Canada looks forward to welcoming Modi in December – the first official word on the PM’s planned visit. “From Prime Minister [Mark] Carney’s visit earlier this year to the Team Canada Trade Mission underway, our renewed engagement reflects a growing ambition to turn shared priorities into lasting opportunities for both nations,” she said. The external affairs ministry said the two ministers had a “detailed exchange of views on enhancing security and defence cooperation, as well as expanding energy cooperation”.
