India is considering improving its strained relations with Canada following Mark Carney’s election as the new leader of the country’s ruling Liberal Party, succeeding Justin Trudeau.

This development coincides with reports of Canadian intelligence chief Daniel Rogers’ likely visit to India in mid-March for an annual intelligence gathering. If the visit proceeds, it would mark the first high-level engagement between the two nations since their officials last met in Singapore to discuss the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Speaking to reporters before his election as party leader, Carney emphasized Canada’s interest in diversifying trade partnerships, particularly in light of its ongoing trade dispute with the United States. He expressed a willingness to rebuild ties with India, stating, “There are opportunities to rebuild relationships with India. There needs to be a shared sense of values around commercial relationships, and if I am the Prime Minister, I look forward to the opportunity to build that.”

India-Canada relations have been strained since September 2023, when then-Prime Minister Trudeau alleged in the House of Commons that Indian agents may have been involved in Nijjar’s killing in Surrey, British Columbia. New Delhi firmly denied the allegations, with the Ministry of External Affairs stating that Canada had provided no evidence to support its claims.

The diplomatic row escalated with both countries expelling each other’s diplomats and India temporarily suspending visa services for Canadian citizens, though these were later reinstated.

India has consistently maintained that the core issue in bilateral ties is Canada’s tolerance of pro-Khalistan elements operating from its soil without accountability.