Sandeepp Saxena
EXTERNAL Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on May 26 held a telephonic conversation with newly appointed Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. The two leaders discussed avenues to strengthen India-Canada relations.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said: “Appreciate the telecon with FM Anita Anand of Canada. Discussed the prospects of India-Canada ties. Wished her a very successful tenure.” Anand, who recently assumed office as Foreign Minister in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new government, reciprocated the sentiment, calling the exchange “productive” and expressing her intention to deepen cooperation with India.
“Thank you, Minister S. Jaishankar, for the productive discussion on strengthening Canada-India ties, deepening our economic cooperation, and advancing shared priorities. I look forward to continuing our work together,” Anand posted on X. Relations between India and Canada have been strained after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani extremist and NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil in 2023—an accusation New Delhi rejected as “absurd” and “politically motivated.”
Earlier this month, on May 14, Jaishankar had extended formal congratulations to Anand on her appointment. The congratulatory message followed the announcement of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new 38-member cabinet, which includes 28 ministers and 10 Secretaries of State.
Anand was the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry before the Canada elections and in the past has served in several roles, including Defence Minister. She replaced Melanie Joly, who is now the Minister of Industry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated Carney on being elected as the Canadian Prime Minister. In his message, PM Modi had stressed strong people-to-people ties between the two countries while saying he was looking forward to “unlocking greater opportunities”.
