The foreign ministers of India and Canada held a telephonic conversation on Wednesday ahead of a potential bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau this month.
That meeting is yet to be finalised but, if it does occur, will be on the margins of either the Commonwealth Heads of Government meet in Kigali in Rwanda or the G7 Summit in Germany.
The conversation with Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly was described as “extensive” by Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar in a tweet. It covered several significant geopolitical issues including the Indo-Pacific and the situation in Ukraine following the attack by Russia in February. A readout from Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry, said the ministers “affirmed the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific region that is founded on respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations”.
It added they discussed Russia’s attack on Ukraine and “the need for the international community to come together to restore global peace and security. They also discussed the broader impacts of the conflict, including on global food security”.Jaishankar tweeted, “Exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific and the global effects of the Ukraine conflict.”
Interestingly, Jaishankar also raised the issue of Canadian territory being used by extremist elements like Khalistani separatists groups including Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). In his tweet, Jaishankar only said, “Spoke about misuse of freedoms and the dangers of extremism.”
He also tweeted they spoke about “expanding” the “political and economic engagement” between the two countries.The Canadian readout added, “The ministers emphasised areas of future collaboration such as tackling climate change, working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, expanding the Canada-India Air Transport Agreement and creating opportunities for growth and ensure prosperity and a sustainable future.”
