India and Canada chart a reset after rift over Sikh activist’s murder

India and Canada signaled a formal reset of relations, unveiling a “new roadmap” to restore cooperation after two turbulent years triggered by the June 2023 killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The move follows a sequence of confidence-building steps this year, including leaders-level engagement and the appointment of new high commissioners, culminating in talks in New Delhi between Indian External Affairs Minister S.

Jaishankar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand produced a joint plan to revive ties across trade, technology, security, and people-to-people links.

The roadmap marks the most concrete attempt yet to stabilize a relationship that had spiraled after Ottawa alleged possible Indian government involvement in Nijjar’s murder—charges New Delhi rejected as “absurd” and “motivated.” In 2023–24, both sides expelled diplomats and froze parts of their engagement; Canada later arrested three suspects in the case while probing any external links.

This year’s thaw accelerated after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney met on the G7 sidelines, agreeing to restore full diplomatic services and restart structured dialogue.

Economic coordination is a pillar of the reset. Minister-level discussions have zeroed in on clean technology, critical minerals, digital trade, and agri-food supply chains, with both sides framing the agenda as a way to de-risk dependencies and unlock investment.

Officials also indicated work toward resuming stalled trade discussions in a calibrated manner while expanding academic, research, and mobility channels—important given Canada’s large Indian diaspora and student cohort.

Diplomatically, the two governments say they will rebuild trust through regular high-level consultations, law-enforcement cooperation, and mutual commitments to sovereignty and non-interference.

The calibrated language reflects ongoing sensitivities: Ottawa maintains its criminal investigation into Nijjar’s killing, while New Delhi continues to press concerns about extremist activity and misinformation. Both capitals, however, are betting that structured engagement—rather than rhetorical escalation—offers a path back to a functional partnership.

Sources: Reuters; Indian Express; Times of India; AP News, BBC News.