Carney’s India visit signals decisive ‘reset’ in ties; what’s on agenda?

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney begins his first official visit to India this week, signalling a decisive reset in relations with India after nearly three years of diplomatic strain.

The February 27–March 2 trip, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being positioned by both sides as a forward-looking effort to rebuild trust and unlock major trade and investment opportunities.

Carney will travel to Mumbai before heading to New Delhi for delegation-level talks with Modi at Hyderabad House. The visit comes against the backdrop of a turbulent period under former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, when Ottawa accused Indian agents of potential involvement in the 2023 killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia — allegations New Delhi strongly denied. The dispute led to expulsions of diplomats and a sharp downturn in ties.

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Now, Canadian officials say they are confident that such activities are not continuing, clearing the way for what Indian High Commissioner to Ottawa Dinesh Patnaik has described as a “total reset” of the relationship.

Patnaik was quoted by Bloomberg as saying the trip will cover an “immense agenda” that may be formalised in cooperation agreements covering research, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and education.

Energy and trade

Energy cooperation is expected to be a centrepiece of Carney’s discussions in India. Officials have indicated that an agreement expanding Canada’s uranium exports to fuel India’s growing nuclear power sector could be finalised during the visit. India is also keen to increase imports of Canadian heavy crude and explore investments in related infrastructure such as pipelines and terminals.

Beyond hydrocarbons, the two leaders are expected to focus on critical minerals, clean energy, agriculture, and food security — sectors where Canada’s resource base aligns with India’s industrial and energy transition needs.

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Talks to revive a long-stalled Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will also reportedly be high on the agenda. Carney and Modi agreed in November to resume negotiations towards a free trade pact, with optimism that a deal could be concluded within a year. Both economies have evolved significantly since earlier rounds of talks faltered, and shifting global trade dynamics — including tariff pressures from the United States — have sharpened incentives to diversify partnerships.

Technology focus

Emerging technologies and research collaboration will form another pillar of the visit. Discussions are expected to cover artificial intelligence, quantum computing, advanced manufacturing and innovation partnerships between universities and research institutions.

Carney will engage with CEOs, industry leaders, financial experts, and representatives of major Canadian pension funds operating in India. The India-Canada CEOs Forum will be reconvened alongside Modi, underscoring the emphasis on private-sector driven growth and two-way investment flows.

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The Canadian Prime Minister has framed his broader Indo-Pacific tour — which also includes Australia and Japan — as part of a strategy to build a more resilient economy at home by diversifying trade and cultivating strong regional partnerships abroad.

Strategic partnership

In New Delhi, the leaders are expected to review progress under the India-Canada Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global developments. Security cooperation, defence dialogue, and a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific are likely to feature in discussions.

Carney’s decision to prioritise India early in his tenure reflects a pragmatic recalibration in Ottawa’s foreign policy. As one Canadian official noted ahead of the trip, the visit itself signals confidence that bilateral irritants are being managed through established diplomatic and security channels.

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For both countries — the world’s largest democracies by population and landmass respectively — the visit represents an opportunity to move beyond recent acrimony and re-anchor ties in economic complementarity, strategic convergence, and robust people-to-people links.

If successful, Carney’s India outreach could mark the beginning of a new chapter — one defined less by recrimination and more by shared ambition in an increasingly-uncertain global order.