Alberta (TDI): India and Canada agreed to restore diplomatic services nearly two years after Ottawa accused New Delhi of alleged involvement in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, which turned into a row straining ties between the two nations.
The announcement was made after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi met Tuesday on the margins of G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta.
Both countries have agreed to appoint new high commissioners and resume regular consular services, which had been disrupted since late 2023.
Carney’s office released a statement noting that they recognized the value of rebuilding a relationship based on mutual respect and a shared commitment to sovereignty.
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Discussions also touched on expanding cooperation in several key areas, including technology, food security, and critical minerals.
India’s foreign ministry, in a separate comment, said resuming senior-level engagement was crucial for restoring trust and bringing new energy to the relationship.
Ties between the two nations hit a low in September 2023 when then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed there were credible links between Indian agents and the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent figure in the Khalistan movement, who was shot dead outside a Sikh temple near Vancouver.
India denied the allegations and criticized Canada for failing to act against individuals advocating separatism.
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Nijjar had been labeled as a terrorist by Indian authorities under a law aimed at countering insurgency and extremism. In contrast, some overseas Sikh organizations saw him as a peaceful activist campaigning for religious and political rights.
After his killing, the diplomatic relationship between New Delhi and Ottawa came to a halt with tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats.
India first recalled its high commissioner, then Canada sent home Indian diplomats.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
