In a relationship once defined by suspicion, slander, and severed communication, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s recent visit to New Delhi has brought a long-awaited whiff of realism and perhaps, a touch of “Anand” (bliss) to India Canada ties. It marked the most tangible shift yet in efforts to mend a relationship fractured by political accusations, mutual mistrust, and a lack of diplomatic restraint.

The trip was not dramatic, but that was precisely the point. In international diplomacy, silence can sometimes speak louder than speeches. Anand’s meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal set the stage for a careful, calibrated thaw one built on common interests rather than rhetorical goodwill.

A Welcome Departure from Trudeau-Era Turbulence

Anand’s visit was the first high-level ministerial engagement since the 2023 diplomatic crisis, when former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar plunged ties into unprecedented hostility. Her arrival symbolized a deliberate departure from the accusatory politics that had characterized Canada’s approach.

The announcement of a “New Roadmap for India–Canada Relations” was the highlight a framework built not on grand statements but on measurable, step-by-step cooperation in trade, energy, science, and education. This was the language of pragmatism, not posturing.

A series of frozen dialogues have now been unfrozen: ministerial-level talks on trade and investment, the Canada–India Ministerial Energy Dialogue (CIMED) focused on clean energy and critical minerals, and the revival of the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee. Anand’s stop in Mumbai to engage with investors and business leaders further underlined the enduring strength of the Canadian-Indian diaspora, which remains both a bridge and a buffer in bilateral ties.

Trade as the New Diplomacy

If politics has divided, economics may yet unite. Both countries now view trade diversification as an urgent necessity amid the global reordering of supply chains away from dependence on the US and China.

While the long-discussed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) remains on pause, both sides are focusing on pragmatic progress boosting trade in agriculture, clean technology, and critical minerals. Here lies perhaps the most strategic alignment: Canada possesses the mineral wealth that India’s industrial and green transition urgently needs.

The renewed energy dialogue also points toward a shared climate agenda. Canada’s expertise in clean energy can support India’s vast decarbonisation ambitions. The revival of the science and technology committee signals a collaborative future in AI, cybersecurity, and fintech sectors where cooperation could define a new chapter in technological diplomacy.

Education, too, is returning to the table. Plans for Canadian universities to expand academic presence in India, alongside a revitalised working group on higher education, promise a renewed flow of ideas and students that had been disrupted by the diplomatic chill.

The Security Question: Still the Elephant in the Room

For all the goodwill, the security dimension remains the thorniest issue and the true test of this reset. Canada’s willingness to sustain a law enforcement and security dialogue with India is a breakthrough in itself. Both sides reportedly discussed a framework for strategic cooperation on security, acknowledging the need to manage disagreements through institutional channels rather than public spats.

This dual-track diplomacy allows Canada to continue its investigation into the Nijjar case while addressing India’s legitimate concerns over extremist elements operating openly on Canadian soil. It’s not a solution yet, but it’s a start an understanding that sensitive security issues must be discussed away from the glare of media sensationalism and diaspora pressure.

As both nations reaffirmed their commitment to sovereignty, democratic values, and territorial integrity, they laid the groundwork for restoring trust the commodity that had been in shortest supply.

Lingering Shadows and Inherited Baggage

The relationship, though on the mend, still carries the weight of unresolved grievances. The trust deficit from the 2023 crisis will not vanish overnight. India remains wary of Canada’s perceived leniency toward Khalistani extremists, while Canada must balance domestic political pressures from influential diaspora groups.

Ottawa’s rigid stance on visa denials to retired Indian military and police officers on dubious human rights grounds continues to irk New Delhi. The hypocrisy is glaring, given Canada’s own record of peacekeepers accused of abuses abroad. Diplomacy, after all, cannot survive selective morality.

The step-by-step nature of the new roadmap is both its strength and its limitation. Progress in one area is made conditional on another meaning the road to full normalisation will be slow and often bumpy.

A Path Forward

Despite the cautious optimism, the CEPA talks remain stalled, and Canada’s domestic politics particularly the sway of diaspora activism will continue to cast a shadow over the bilateral agenda. Yet, the current mood is different: pragmatism has replaced posturing. Both nations have realised that strategic silence and mutual respect serve them better than televised outrage.

In the Indo-Pacific context, India and Canada have complementary ambitions but distinct perspectives. For Canada, India is a gateway to economic diversification; for India, Canada is a potentially valuable but unpredictable partner in its pursuit of strategic balance amid tensions with China.

The story, as of now, is unfinished but the tone has changed.

From Acrimony to Anand

In diplomacy, tone often matters more than text. Anita Anand’s visit marked a restoration of good sense, a quiet recognition that ties between democracies must not be held hostage by transient political storms.

For now, the focus is rightly on rebuilding trade first, trust next, and perhaps, eventually, true partnership. Whether this new era endures will depend not on the rhetoric of leaders, but on the resilience of institutions and the wisdom of restraint.

If symbolism counts for anything, the name of the visiting minister “Anand,” meaning “bliss” may just foreshadow the dawn of a calmer, more constructive chapter in India Canada relations.