Canadian PM Mark Carney Begins India Visit, Signals Push to Reset Bilateral Ties
Mumbai/New Delhi: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Mumbai on Friday, commencing a five-day official tour of India aimed at revitalising diplomatic and economic engagement between the two countries.
He checked in at the iconic Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, shortly after landing.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit — scheduled from February 27 to March 2 — comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and marks Carney’s first official trip to India since assuming office.
The tour is designed to deepen bilateral cooperation and identify new avenues of partnership across trade, investment, innovation, and strategic affairs.
Mumbai Leg Focused on Economic Engagement
Carney’s itinerary begins with a two-day stop in Mumbai, India’s financial capital.
During this phase, he is set to interact with senior business leaders, chief executives, banking and financial specialists, technology innovators, academics, and representatives of Canadian pension funds operating in India.
Officials indicated that the initial engagements are structured to foreground economic collaboration, investment flows, and financial partnerships before discussions move to broader diplomatic issues in New Delhi.
High-Level Talks in New Delhi
On March 1, the Canadian leader will travel to the national capital for the central diplomatic segment of the visit.
Delegation-level discussions between the two Prime Ministers are scheduled for March 2 at Hyderabad House, a traditional venue for high-level state meetings.
In addition to reviewing bilateral relations, the two leaders are expected to deliberate on regional security dynamics and key global developments.
They will also jointly participate in the India–Canada CEOs Forum, an initiative aimed at strengthening coordination between policy frameworks and private-sector expansion.
Attempt to Stabilise Strained Relations
The visit carries particular diplomatic weight as it comes amid ongoing efforts to stabilise ties that deteriorated sharply in mid-2023.
Relations between Ottawa and New Delhi suffered a major setback following the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
Subsequently, the government led by then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged possible Indian involvement in the incident — a charge that New Delhi firmly rejected.
The dispute resulted in reciprocal diplomatic expulsions and months of strained engagement.
A Critical Diplomatic Moment
Observers view Carney’s visit as an opportunity to recalibrate the relationship, restore trust, and refocus on shared economic and strategic interests.
With both countries maintaining strong trade linkages, educational exchanges, and diaspora connections, the trip is being seen as a crucial step toward rebuilding momentum in bilateral cooperation.
Whether the discussions yield tangible breakthroughs remains to be seen, but the high-level engagement signals a mutual willingness to move beyond recent tensions and chart a more constructive course.
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