Canada's High Commissioner to India Chris Cooter on Monday stated that the diplomatic relationship between India and Canada is entering a phase of renewed cooperation, anchored by a deep personal rapport between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Mark Carney, despite a blip in the last two years.
High-Level Engagement Driving Bilateral Ties
Speaking to ANI, Cooter highlighted the importance of high-level engagement between the two nations and noted that the two leaders have met several times, including their recent meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France. According to Cooter, the Prime Ministers have met four times and have been in regular phone contact, which has helped build a strong working relationship.
"The Prime Ministers have met four times. They've also been talking on the phone quite a bit; I'm sure they're WhatsApping as well. So they've got a rapport that really helps us build everything else. Because both Prime Ministers are like-minded in the sense that they want to get things done, they understand the urgency. In our case, it's particularly important that we diversify relationships in a meaningful way. This is trade, but it's also geopolitics," he said.
Stabilisation in Security Sphere
Beyond the personal connection between the leaders, Cooter pointed to a significant stabilisation in the security sphere. He stated that following a period of diplomatic strain, both nations have established a reliable, process-driven approach to addressing security-related concerns. He argued that the agencies on both sides have developed a clear understanding of operational methods, ensuring a commitment to transparency.
"Well, I think as I said, on that core of security-related issues, I think we've established a good process now. Things will happen, but I think the people know each other, they know how each agency works, and they're committed to making sure there's no surprises. To the extent possible, that's going very, very well," Cooter said.
Variable Geometry: Canada's Geopolitical Strategy
According to the High Commissioner, this reset is part of a larger Canadian strategy to meaningfully diversify its global relationships. Cooter linked this approach to broader international efforts, referenced by the Canadian Prime Minister during the G7 summit and at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where non-hegemonic nations seek to advance their interests and protect their sovereignty through flexible, "variable geometry" partnerships.
"You will probably be aware that our Prime Minister gave this famous speech at Davos just before coming here, and he's elaborated on what he said in Davos since that time, including during the G7 summit. You know, I think what he's looking at is a world in which countries that aren't the hegemon--the largest powers--want to have the ability to protect their sovereignty, to advance their interest in partnership. So that's variable geometry, one way of looking at it," he stated.
Progress in Bilateral Economic Cooperation
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, and highlighted the importance of resilient and reliable global energy and food security supply chains. According to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, on Tuesday and reviewed the growing momentum in bilateral relations.
As per the MEA, the Prime Ministers welcomed the positive trajectory of India-Canada ties and expressed satisfaction over the progress achieved since Prime Minister Carney's visit to India in March this year.
