Anita Anand’s recent appointment as Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs has sparked optimism among experts and diplomats about a potential thaw and strengthening of bilateral ties between Canada and India. The move was warmly congratulated by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, signaling a positive start to what many hope will be a fresh chapter in the two countries’ relationship.
Anand, who became the first Hindu Canadian federal minister in 2019, has held key portfolios including public services, transport, and defence. Now, as foreign minister in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s streamlined cabinet, she is expected to leverage her extensive experience and strong commitment to India-Canada relations.
Former Indian High Commissioners Ajay Bisaria and Vikas Swarup were quick to express their confidence in Anand’s ability to excel in her new role. Bisaria, who served as envoy to Ottawa from 2020 to 2022, highlighted Anand’s dedication to nurturing bilateral ties and predicted that her appointment would “boost Canada’s diplomacy and strengthen India-Canada relations.” Swarup, India’s high commissioner from 2017 to 2019, noted that Anand’s association with Carney — who replaced Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister — could mark a departure from past challenges, particularly with regard to Khalistani elements within Canada’s political landscape.
“Carney is not going to be beholden to pro-Khalistani elements to the extent that Trudeau was,” Swarup said, underlining a hopeful shift in Canadian politics.
Anand and Jaishankar share a common connection through Tamil Nadu, which experts see as a symbolic bridge fostering mutual understanding between the two countries.
Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President (Research and Strategy) at the Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada, expressed cautious optimism about a “political opening for a reset” in bilateral relations. She emphasized that much will depend on Carney’s approach, who during his recent election campaign underscored the significance of the Canada-India relationship on personal, economic, and strategic levels.
Anand herself has voiced a personal commitment to strengthening ties with India, referring to it as the homeland of her parents and a key community within Canada’s multicultural fabric.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory message to Carney after the Liberal Party’s victory in April was hailed by Nadjibulla as a “good sign.” The true litmus test of renewed relations, she said, will be whether Modi receives an invitation to the G7 Summit hosted in Alberta in mid-June — a move that Swarup also identified as the clearest indicator of a reset in ties.
Despite these encouraging signals, Swarup cautioned that the Khalistan issue remains a sensitive point due to the political and economic influence of its supporters in Canada. He urged both governments to navigate this delicately.
The National Alliance of Indo-Canadians echoed hopes for improved relations following Anand’s appointment.
Anand’s interest in fostering stronger India-Canada ties has been evident since her tenure as defence minister, though a planned visit to New Delhi in spring 2023 did not materialize. Shortly afterward, the relationship suffered a major setback when Trudeau raised allegations linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia — claims that India firmly denied.
Experts are now hopeful that Anand’s balanced approach, work ethic, and diplomatic experience will help overcome past difficulties and chart a new path forward for Canada-India relations.
Sources By Agencies
