Quiet diplomacy, bold move: India tests new waters with Canada

It’s not every day that India looks to Canada for diplomatic warmth, especially after nearly two years of bitter silence, visa suspensions, and tit-for-tat expulsions. But global politics is full of surprises. As New Delhi’s relationship with Washington grows frostier under Trump 2.0, Canada, once seen as an irritant, is looking increasingly like a safer bet for India to lean into. And the change has come at an unexpectedly strategic moment.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew into the Canadian Rockies this month for the G7 Summit, many observers noted the last-minute nature of the invitation. India had barely days to confirm its presence. Yet it did — and made it count.

In a subtle but symbolic shift, Modi not only showed up, but held a warm bilateral meeting with Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney. Both countries agreed to reinstate their high commissioners, revive stalled trade talks, and resume consular services. The message was clear: the freeze of the Trudeau era is over, and a new chapter has begun.

Let’s not forget what triggered the downward spiral in the first place. In 2023, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused India of orchestrating the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh separatist India had designated a terrorist. The Indian government denied any involvement and hit back, accusing Trudeau of giving cover to extremists for political gain. The diplomatic meltdown was swift: diplomats expelled, visas suspended, and trust torched.

Fast forward to 2025, and Mark Carney has taken a very different approach. He hasn’t publicly raked up the Nijjar killing. When asked about it, he stayed measured, pointing to “an ongoing judicial process.” That restraint, coupled with Canada’s intelligence agencies finally acknowledging the threat posed by Khalistani elements on its soil, has made a big difference to Delhi.

For India, the message is reassuring: This is not Trudeau 2.0. Carney seems more pragmatic, less performative and crucially, willing to move forward without public finger-pointing.

While Canada is extending an olive branch, the US seems to be handing India a cactus. The optics were damning when Modi declined Donald Trump’s recent invitation to visit Washington.

Trump’s repeated assertions (14 times, to be exact) that he personally brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack in May did not go down well with Indian officials. India has firmly denied any US mediation role.

If that wasn’t enough, Trump slapped a surprise 26 per cent tariff on Indian goods - a move he announced just hours before meeting Modi. Not only did it sour the optics, but it also reignited fears in Delhi about Trump’s old obsession with “unfair” Indian tariffs.

Which brings us back to Canada.

Mark Carney’s invitation to Modi, issued despite protests from pro-Khalistan groups, was an important gesture. It signalled not just a diplomatic reset, but a recalibration of Canada’s approach to India. Carney’s choice to prioritise bilateral engagement over domestic political noise has created a new opening.

India, too, stands to gain. Canada remains a top destination for Indian students and skilled workers. In 2023 alone, trade between the two nations touched $9 billion. There’s real incentive on both sides to turn the page.

Moreover, in a multipolar world where old alliances are becoming transactional and volatile, smaller but stable partnerships are suddenly more attractive. With Trump’s unpredictability casting a shadow over Washington’s global commitments, India is hedging its bets - quietly but decisively.

By accepting the G7 invite, even at the last minute, India reinforced that message. It showed that while it’s willing to engage with the West, it’s also capable of choosing its own terms. And in Carney, India has found a Western partner who’s not trying to play both sides.

Of course, the India-Canada relationship is far from perfect. The Khalistan issue still looms, and Canada’s diaspora politics are complicated. But diplomacy is about progress, not perfection. The return of ambassadors and resumption of dialogue is a strong first step.

Strategically, it’s also a message to Washington: India has options. It won’t be boxed into alliances that don’t respect its red lines.

In the quiet mountain air of Kananaskis, India may not have made a big speech - but it made a big choice. And that’s something both Ottawa and Washington would do well to pay attention to.

Sukanya Saha is a journalist based in India