Canadian PM Mark Carney Lands in Mumbai For 4-Day India Visit, High-Level Talks With PM Modi Scheduled- What’s on Agenda?

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Mumbai on Friday, beginning a four-day official trip to India. The visit, scheduled from February 27 to March 2, comes at the invitation of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs said, and reflects renewed efforts by both nations to restore and strengthen diplomatic ties. 

The Canadian PM’s arrival marks a significant step in ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and strategic cooperation. By beginning the tour in India’s financial capital, Carney is prioritising economic synergy, spending his first two days consulting with CEOs, financial experts, and representatives from Canadian pension funds to set a robust commercial tone for the mission.

Mark Carney and PM Modi Delegation Talks Set for March 2

This economic focus serves as a strategic prelude to the high-level diplomatic discussions scheduled for March 1-March 2 in New Delhi. The cornerstone of the stay will be delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House, acting as a formal follow-up to previous dialogues held in Kananaskis and Johannesburg in 2025.

Delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled for March 2 at Hyderabad House.

India-Canada Ties Reviewed Amid Diplomatic Reset After Nijjar Row

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, these talks are designed to review the India-Canada Strategic Partnership across diverse sectors, including energy, critical minerals, and research, while aligning government policy with private sector interests through the India-Canada CEOs Forum.

The significance of this re-engagement is best understood against the backdrop of the “sharp deterioration” in relations that followed the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Subsequent allegations made by the previous Trudeau government had led to a diplomatic standoff and the mutual expulsion of officials.

Ottawa Signals Major Policy Shift on India

However, the current mission represents a fundamental shift in Ottawa’s stance; senior Canadian officials have now clarified that they no longer believe India is linked to violent crimes within Canada, noting that such a high-profile presence would not be possible if those concerns were still active.

This move towards a more “pragmatic” foreign policy has been underpinned by intensified security dialogues, particularly those led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. These discussions have resulted in a comprehensive action plan to tackle transnational organised crime and extremism, effectively turning a previous point of contention into a framework for real-time cooperation.

Ultimately, as the leaders transition from Mumbai’s boardrooms to Delhi’s diplomatic halls, the stay aims to cement a forward-looking partnership grounded in mutual respect and the growing economic complementarities between the two nations.

(Inputs from ANI)