About Canada
- Canada is a country in North America with its capital in Ottawa which upholds values like democratic values, human rights, the rule of law, and pluralism which is similar to India.
Areas of Cooperation
- Historical Context
- Early Relations: Diplomatic relations were established in 1947, shortly after India gained independence.
- Migration: Indian migration to Canada began in the late 19th century, with a significant increase in the 1970s and 1980s.
- Nuclear Tests: Relations were strained after India’s first nuclear test in 1974 and its second test in 1998, leading to Canadian sanctions.
- Political & Diplomatic Relations
- Strategic Partners: Since 2015, India and Canada have been strategic partners, focusing on economic cooperation, defense, and technology.
- Multilateral Engagements: Collaborate in UN, G20, Commonwealth, WTO, and Indo-Pacific forums.
- Economic Cooperation
- Trade: Bilateral trade in goods was valued at USD 9.36 billion in 2023.
- Investment: Canada is the 18th largest foreign investor in India, with investments totaling around USD 3.3 billion from April 2000 to March 2023.
- Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA): Ongoing negotiations aim to enhance economic relations by covering trade in goods, services, investment, and trade facilitation.
- Energy & Environment
- Civil Nuclear Agreement (2010): Canada supplies uranium to India for nuclear energy.
- Green Energy Cooperation: Joint projects on climate change and renewable energy.
- Defense & Security Cooperation
- Maritime & Indo-Pacific Cooperation: Both nations support free and open Indo-Pacific strategies.
- Intelligence Sharing: Cooperation on counterterrorism under Five Eyes alliance (Canada is a member).
- Military Ties: Joint exercises and technology exchange in defense.
- Educational and Cultural Ties
- International Students: India is the largest source of international students in Canada, with 40% of the over 800,000 international students in Canada in 2022 being Indian.
- Cultural Exchange: Regular cultural exchange programs and festivals strengthen people-to-people ties.
Challenges in the Relations
- Sikh Separatism: The Khalistan movement has been a point of contention, with Canada being accused of providing a safe haven for separatists.
- Air India Bombing: The 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182 by Canada-based Khalistani extremists remains a sensitive issue.
- Political Misunderstandings: Differences in political and cultural perspectives have occasionally strained relations.