New York: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in New York this week to discuss ways to strengthen diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Ottawa.
He described the meeting as positive and welcomed the recent appointment of High Commissioners as an important step towards rebuilding relations. Sharing details of the meeting on X, Jaishankar wrote, “A good meeting with FM @AnitaAnandMP of Canada this morning in New York. The appointment of High Commissioners is welcome as we rebuild ties. Discussed further steps in that regard today."
The foreign minister also expressed his eagerness to welcome his Indian-origin Canadian counterpart to India soon. Anand and Jaishankar last spoke in May this year, shortly after she took office as Canada’s Foreign Minister. During their phone call, Anand thanked Jaishankar for their discussion on strengthening India-Canada ties and expressed her desire to continue working together.
Relations between India and Canada nosedived following allegations made by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau claimed that the Indian government was linked to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil in 2023. India strongly denied these accusations and described them as malicious.
The diplomatic row escalated when India’s previous High Commissioner was recalled, and several diplomats from both countries were expelled. However, ties began to improve after Liberal Party leader Mark Carney became Canada’s Prime Minister in April this year.
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The Canadian government has designated the Lawrence Bishnoi gang a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code, a step that bars Canadians from providing it with financial or material support, and allows for the freezing of assets, property seizures and criminal charges against affiliates. Active in British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta, the gang has been linked to over 50 violent incidents since 2023, including firebombings at the homes of Punjabi musicians A P Dhillon and Gippy Grewal, a shooting at comedian Kapil Sharma’s Surrey café this August, and widespread extortion rackets targeting South Asian communities. |
