Mark Carney’s India gambit: What to expect from the March visit and what it means for the future of bilateral ties | India News
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to arrive in India in the first week of March. This visit marks a significant change in bilateral relations. Indian High Commissioner to Canada Dinesh Patnaik confirmed the trip. The goal is to solidify multibillion-dollar deals in uranium, artificial intelligence and critical minerals.
Carney wants to diversify Canada’s global alliances and move away from the diplomatic standoff that marked his predecessor Justin Trudeau’s tenure.
Billion dollar resource agenda
Add Zee News as Preferred Source
One of the main focuses of the visit is the 10-year uranium supply agreement worth an estimated C$2.8 billion. Canadian Energy Minister Tim Hodgson is currently in India and has stressed that Canada is ready to support India’s civil nuclear plans.
“India is a major nuclear country that plans to increase civilian energy use,” Hodgson told Reuters. “Canada would be happy to sell uranium under the Canada-India nuclear cooperation agreement as long as the International Energy Agency’s assurances are met.”
In addition to nuclear energy, the two countries expect to make agreements on the following issues:
– Critical Minerals and Energy: Transactions involving crude oil and LNG.
– Technology: Partnerships in artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
– Trade: The official start of negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which leaders hope will double bilateral trade to $70 billion by 2030.
Balancing the ‘new world order’ with US pressure
The upcoming visit follows Carney’s recent visit to Beijing, where he met with President Xi Jinping to discuss reducing trade barriers on Canadian agri-food products. Carney also carefully used US President Donald Trump’s “America First” rhetoric.
In response to Trump’s threat that he would impose 100% tariffs on Canadian goods if Ottawa strikes a free trade agreement with China, Carney was clear. “We have no intention of doing this with China or any non-market economy,” Carney said, referring to commitments under the USMCA.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, he outlined a strategy focused on “coalitions of middle powers” to deal with the collapsing rules-based international order.
Healing the diplomatic rift
The March summit is seen as the latest “reset” following the 2023 allegations regarding the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Since Carney took office in March 2025, intense efforts have been made to overcome existing tensions.
High Commissioner Patnaik noted that cooperation in the field of security is back on track. India’s National Security Adviser is scheduled to visit Ottawa next month. Regarding the ongoing legal proceedings in Canada, Patnaik said, “If evidence of Indian involvement emerges, India will take action.”
High level momentum
This momentum is expected to continue in 2026. Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will visit Canada shortly after Carney’s trip.
As the global trading environment changes, both New Delhi and Ottawa appear to be acting with renewed urgency to protect their economies from international instability.
READ ALSO | Why don’t private jets have parachutes? Baramati Ajit Pawar accident revealed
