Ministry of External Affairs and Global Affairs Canada held pre-Foreign Office Consultations FOC in New Delhi on Friday. The Indian delegation for the pre-FOC consultations was led by Secretary (East) P Kumaran while the Canadian side was led by Deputy Foreign Minister David Morrison. The pre-consultations follow the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada in June this year.

The discussions provided an opportunity to review the state of India-Canada bilateral relations and exchange views on other international and regional issues. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of India-Canada ties, anchored in shared democratic values, respect for the rule of law, and commitment to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. They also welcomed the progress achieved since June this year including the return of High Commissioners to each other’s capitals. In line with the understanding reached between the two Prime Ministers to restore stability in the relationship and pursue a constructive and balanced partnership, the two sides agreed to initiate necessary steps to reactivate bilateral dialogue mechanisms across diverse domains, including trade, defence, energy, civil nuclear, security and law enforcement, critical minerals, space, science and technology and agriculture. To support the strong people-to-people linkages, and expanding economic opportunities between India and Canada, both sides also decided to constructively address capacity-related issues at their respective Missions and Consulates. Mr Morrison also met Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.