Story Content

In another indication of a warming up of the relationship, the Canadian federal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that as of February 25, 2026, it does not think that India is associated with violent offenses or continued foreign intrusion on Canadian soil. One of the seniors briefing the reporters before Carney's visit to India said, "We have a very robust diplomatic activity, even at the level of national security advisors, and I want to state that we are very certain that that activity is not being sustained."

The move is a stark contrast to the then terms of the Justin Trudeau administration, which in 2023 leveled accusations of involvement in the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia—a killing they alleged was the beginning of a significant diplomatic crisis, recessive diplomats, and a souring of relations in close to two years.

Authorities stressed enhanced high-end security lines and the absence of data on existent danger or suppression associated with New Delhi. This change preconditions a nine-day Indo-Pacific tour of the president of the United States, which begins on February 26 and will include Mumbai and New Delhi to work on the extension of trade, security cooperation, and possibly the conclusion of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Although the World Sikh Organization refuted the suggestion, terming it as a face-saving utterance amidst the continuous apprehensions of the Sikh communities, the tone used by the government is that of business realignment with a touch of unity on economic and strategic fronts as opposed to the previous accusations. This, according to the analysts, is an attempt to diversify the global relationship of Canada and to forget the Nijjar debacle.

This has been seen as a positive move towards normalized relations in New Delhi, and there are expectations of increased ties in defense, technology, and investment. With Carney ready to start collaboration with Indian leaders, with this policy twist, the turbulent chapter may prove to be over, and the new era of collaboration between Canada and India may commence.