Modi, Carney seek concrete outcomes
In a post on X, Modi said India and Canada were together contributing towards a "more stable and prosperous world".
"Had a warm and productive conversation with Prime Minister Mark Carney. We agreed to build on the positive momentum in India-Canada ties and work towards concrete outcomes across key areas of our Strategic Partnership, including trade, energy, technology, security and people-to-people ties," he said.
A statement from Carney's office said the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to conclude CEPA negotiations at the earliest opportunity, supporting efforts to double two-way trade by 2030.
"They welcomed the historic Team Canada Trade Mission currently taking place in India, led by the Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, as well as a visit to New Delhi this week by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, to advance shared priorities, including trade, energy, and people-to-people ties," the Canadian PMO said.
The two leaders also discussed the impact of geopolitical instability on the Indo-Pacific region and the need for trusted partners in energy and agriculture, according to the statement.
Carney thanked Modi for his leadership in seeking a peaceful resolution to Russia's war on Ukraine. The prime ministers also welcomed the bilateral security dialogue held in India last week at the National Security Adviser level.
Security cooperation in focus
The telephone conversation came days after David Morrison, Senior Diplomatic and International Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada, visited India.
During his October 5-7 visit, Morrison held talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in Delhi on October 6. The two discussed ways to combat terrorism and other crimes.
"They agreed to deepen coordination and cooperation in combating transnational organised crime, terrorism and violent extremism, human and drug trafficking, cybercrime, extortion, and extradition of criminal offenders. They also reaffirmed their commitment to identifying additional areas for practical cooperation, including exploring the establishment of structured dialogues on cyber security and economic security," a Ministry of External Affairs statement issued on October 7 said.
The meeting in Delhi was held as part of the bilateral security dialogue. Previous dialogues in this format took place in the national capital in September 2025 and in Ottawa in February 2026.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed progress in bilateral security and law enforcement cooperation, including the implementation of the shared Security Work Plan concluded in February 2026.
"They also noted with satisfaction the sustained and constructive bilateral engagements over the past year, guided by mutual trust, respect for each other's concerns and sensitivities, and a shared commitment to strengthening bilateral relations," the statement said.
Doval and Morrison welcomed efforts to advance the CEPA negotiations. They also discussed a "growing potential" to develop a substantive bilateral defence relationship.
India-Canada ties recover after diplomatic strain
India-Canada relations deteriorated sharply in 2023 after then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged a potential Indian link to the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India rejected the allegation as “absurd”. In October 2024, New Delhi recalled its High Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and five other diplomats after Ottawa sought to link them to the Nijjar case. India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.
Relations began to improve after Liberal Party leader Mark Carney won the parliamentary election in April last year. Both countries have since posted high commissioners in each other’s capitals.
Ties witnessed a significant upswing following Carney’s visit to India in March. The latest conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Carney built on that engagement, with the two leaders discussing trade, security and other aspects of their strategic partnership ahead of Modi’s planned visit to Canada in December.