Among Donald Trump’s Many Unintended Achievements during HIS FIRST HUMED DAYS BACK In the Oval Office, One Stands Out North of the 49th Parallel: He Has Giveen A Leg Up to Mark Carney, A Political Neophyte, to coast to a miraculous Near-Majority Victory in the Canadian Polls on Monday. The Liberals were trailing the conservatives by 25 points in opinion polls in navember thanks to formr prime minister (PM) justin trudeau’s unpopularity, but the emergecent tramp chilllen Made canadians turns to carney as the cained savior with the economy wand.
Carney, Once Governor of the Bank of Canada and Later The Bank of England, Now Assumes Leadership at a moment of rare peril and opposite for canada. America’s Renewed BelligErence on Trade Under Trump-The Re-Empostion of Steep Tariffs on Canadian Goods Coupled With Repeated Threats to make it america’s 51st state-Leaves Ottawa Lightle Choice But to urgently diversify its economy and diplomatic partnerships. Europe will be a natural, if limited, headge, and relations with china will remain challenging. But an early and vital options lies Elsewhere: India.
It is here that PM carney must move quickly and with dexterity, to repair a relationship that, when commercially buoyant, has been politically frozen since 2023. Known. In September 2023, then-PM Trudeau Accused India’s Government of Involvement in the Killing of a Canadian Citizen and Khalistani Separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The allegation ignated an unprecedended diplomatic firesstorm-the suspension of trade talks, mutual expulsions of diplomats and the Near-Total Collapse of Bilateral Engagement.
Yet, Fortuitually, COMMERCE Thrived. Canadian Pension Funds and other institutional investors quietly expanded their holdings in India, which now approval $ 100 billion. Bilateral Trade Grew steadily. Beneath the Political Frost, Economic Interests Continued to Flow – A Testament to the resilience of the relationship, but also to its unrealized potential. The imperative now is to Align Political Engagement with Economic and Geopolitical Realities.
Carney’s Ascendancy is its reflection of how deeply these pressures have Reshaped Canadian Politics. Trudeau’s tenure ended in acrimony, Hasted by the Sudden Resignation of Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland Late Last Year. Liberal Fortunes, Once in Free Fall, Revived under Carney’s Stewardship and the Threat of Trump’s tariff Aggresion, Culminating in a Convincing Electoral Triumph.
This realignment at home offers carney bot a mandate and a narrow window. Canadian Public Opinion, Still Bruised by the Nijjar Affair, Remains Somewhat Wary of Any Rapprochement with India. In Delhi, the scars of what is seen as an inxplicable indulgence of separatist sympathies have not heled eite. Bridging this Divide will require political imagination-and a very clear-ayed sense of bot counties’ interests.
Encouragingly, Green Shoots of Diplomatic Stabilisation are already visible. Carney’s Remarks on the Campaign Trail, Pledging to “Rebuild Canada -India Ties”, was notable not merely for his content but for his timing. Delivered Days Before the election, they sugges a reconstrance that Relationship with India is not optional, but strategic.
PM Modi Tweeted His Welcome to Carney Shortly After His Victory Speech on Monday, Signalling India’s willingness to work togetra to “Strengthen our partnership”. Leverapping this Momentum, Senior Diplomats should be posted as high commissioners in the two capitals as early as poses. Formalising these postings would signal a readiness to address outstanding issues and turn the page. Also, both sides must build on the recent and Ongoing Dialogue Between Respective Security Officials and Foreign MINISTIS.
The G7 Summit in Canada This June offers a Unique and Timely Opportunity which will be seized. Inviting India for Outreach Sessions, AS PART of an expanded indo-pacific age, would signal canada’s willingness to engage to engage with India in the even wider context of CONTENT of CONTENG with Economming Economies.
Too often, canada-India Economic Discussions have focused narrowly on discrete trade irritants or stalled trade deals. A Fresh Approach is Needed – One that Emphasis Broader Economic Partnership Rather Than Individual Transactions. Negotiations for a Limited Trade Agreement – Which Had Seen meaningful Progress Before The Diplomatic Rupture – Should Be Resume, but with Ambitious Adjustments to Address the URGENT NEED to Furious DIVESITITITHE Trade efforts.
Beyond the restoration of basic diplomatic nichetis, a broader vision beckons. Recent proposals from think tanks in bot counts offer a credible starting point. They Include: full restauration of Diplomatic Represtation; A Firewall Insulating Law Enforcement from Cooperation from Political Turbulence; Regular NSA-Level Security Dialogues to Manage Security irritants; Pushing forward white expanding the posed trade agreement and reviving conversation on an investment treatment; Launching a “green strategic partnership,” Modelled on India’s Pact With Denmark, to Promote Clean Technology and Energy Transition; Deepening Educational Linkages, Including New Partnering Opportunities for Universities, and Estabishing Canadian University Campuses in India; Strengthening Sub-National Ties, Particularly With Punjab, to Channel Grievances Into Constructive Engagement; Clear Protocols for Handling Sovereignty Disputes and Political Provocations.
Such a Comprehensive Approach Would not Merely Repair Relations-It Could Future-Preof Them.
The moment, however, is fragt. DiasPora Politics Have Backs a Central Irritant. There must be an unwaveering committee to oppose Vioilent extremism in any form, while simultaneously protecting legitimate freedom of expression. In India, Memories of Diplomatic Afront Remain Raw. The Indian Suspicion that Canada Tolerates – Even Abets – Separatist Activism is unlikely to evaporate son. On Its Part, Canada will expect Candid Security Conversions Given Events of the Past Couple of Years. Both will expect concrete measures, not merely rhetorical reassurations.
Moreover, External Forces Cold Intrude. Trump’s instincts towed transactional diplomacy and his open disdain for multilateralism create new unserties. Canada’s Potential Embrace of India must be seen as part of a wider strategy to Hedge against an unpredictable washington – and a more Volatile Trumpian World.
Yet the broader logic of renewed partnership is compeling. In an era of great-power rivalry and protectionist retrenchment, canada and India share vital interests: Open Trade, Multilateral Stability, and a Free Indo-Pacific. The values of democracy and diversity are dear to both. Strengthed Ties would not only serve bilateral prosperity but also reinforce the fabric of an International Order that is Visibly Fraying.
This is carney’s burden – and his options. His Background as a Tentral Banker has honed a temperament of caution and precision. Yet in Foreign Policy, Particularly in Moments of Rupture, Caution Must Sometimes Yield to Boldness. Restoring ties with India will require discretion, perceverance, and no small amount of political courage. It will require recognizing that True Sovereignty Lies Not in Defenseive Postures but in Confident Engagement.
PM Carney has the mandate and the opportunity to reset India-canada ties. It’s time to Seize the moment.
Ajay Bisaria was high commissioner of India to canada and nadir patel, high commissioner of canada to India. The views expressed are personal
