Canadian PM Mark Carney Begins First Official India Visit, Signals Reset in India–Canada Relations

Mumbai, Feb 2026 : Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, accompanied by his wife Diana Fox Carney, arrived in Mumbai on Friday, marking the start of his first official visit to India. The Canadian leader was received at the airport by Maharashtra’s Minister of Protocol and Marketing Jaykumar Rawal, underscoring the ceremonial importance New Delhi has attached to the visit.

The arrival has been widely seen as a diplomatic reset following a period of strain in bilateral ties under the previous Canadian administration led by Justin Trudeau. Officials on both sides view Carney’s visit as a renewed effort to stabilise relations and inject fresh momentum into political, economic, and people-to-people engagement between the two democracies.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed the Canadian Prime Minister, describing the visit as a significant step toward strengthening bilateral ties. In a post on X, he noted that the India–Canada partnership rests on shared democratic values, deep people-to-people connections, and expanding cooperation across a range of sectors, including trade, technology, and innovation.

According to officials, Carney’s Mumbai leg will focus primarily on economic engagement. The Canadian Prime Minister is scheduled to meet leading Indian business figures and investors, reflecting Canada’s interest in deepening commercial partnerships with India’s fast-growing private sector. Mumbai, as India’s financial capital, provides an ideal platform for discussions on investment flows, capital markets, infrastructure, and innovation-driven growth.

From Mumbai, Carney will travel to New Delhi, where he is set to hold high-level talks with Narendra Modi on March 2. The meeting is expected to cover a broad agenda aimed at elevating the India–Canada relationship, with particular emphasis on trade, clean energy, technology, artificial intelligence, defence cooperation, talent mobility, and cultural exchanges.

A statement issued by the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office said the leaders would explore “ambitious new partnerships” across priority sectors while also identifying opportunities to expand bilateral investment. Carney is also scheduled to attend the India–Canada CEOs’ Forum, where senior executives from both countries are expected to discuss concrete avenues for collaboration and joint ventures.

Canada has increasingly highlighted India’s role as a global economic powerhouse. India is currently the world’s fastest-growing major economy and a key driver of innovation in technology and digital services. In 2024, India was Canada’s seventh-largest trading partner in goods and services, with bilateral trade touching approximately USD 30.8 billion. Both governments have acknowledged that this figure represents only a fraction of the partnership’s potential.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier met Carney on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg last November, where the Indian leader underlined New Delhi’s ambition to raise bilateral trade to USD 50 billion by 2030. Modi also pointed out that Canadian pension funds have shown strong interest in investing in Indian companies, particularly in infrastructure, renewables, and technology-driven sectors.

Diplomatic engagement between the two countries has gathered pace in recent months. Earlier this month, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand met India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany. That meeting marked the fifth interaction between senior ministers since September 2025, reflecting what Ottawa described as “growing momentum” in bilateral relations.

In an official release, the Canadian government noted that the discussions focused on deepening cooperation in energy, technology, and trade, while also reaffirming commitment to a joint road map guiding future engagement. The statement highlighted India’s expanding global role and described the country as an increasingly important strategic and economic partner for Canada.

Both sides have reiterated their intention to build on more than 75 years of diplomatic relations by translating policy intent into tangible outcomes. With Carney’s visit setting the tone, officials believe the coming months could see concrete progress in diversifying trade, strengthening investment flows, and fostering collaboration in emerging technologies—laying the groundwork for a more stable and forward-looking India–Canada partnership.