Amid Trump’s security and tariff threats, Canadian PM Carney to visit India to revitalise partnership on trade and critical minerals

President Donald Trump's animosity towards Canada and recent threats of sharply raising tariffs prompted Ottawa to look for partners across the world beyond the United States. Under these circumstances, Canada seems to pursue its ties with India as a key strategic and economic partnership in a shift from former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's approach, which looked at New Delhi as a rival and took actions which led to deterioration in ties between both countries.

Canada, under PM Mark Carney itendes to diversify its trade to reduce its dependence on the United States to protect its sovereignty from President Trump's territorial ambitions and Coercive economic policies targeting North American allies.

As part of the new approach, Canada improved its relationship with India in the recent past, and to further deepen ties with New Delhi, Carney is expected to visit the country and hold talks with PM Narendra Modi. The Canadian PM is likely to visit New Delhi after India presents its Union Budget in parliament on February 1, according to Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik. Both countries are expected to ink agreements on deepening its partenership in trade, minerals, Uranium, and artificial intelligence.

Canada's renewed approach towards New Delhi, along with a trade agreement with the 27-country grouping, the European Union, provide respite and leverage to India, which is under strain over high tariffs from US President Trump.

The development follows a high level talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar wth his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand on the occasion of India's 77th Republic Day on Monday.

Following the talks, S Jaishankar described the conversation as "fruitful" and informed that the dissussion were centered on deepening "bilateral cooperation and continued high-level exchanges".

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The urgency from the Canadian side is triggered by Donald Trump's threat to impose 100 percent tarrifs on all Canadian imports coming to the United States if Ottawa goes ahead with a trade deal with China. The threat followed a visit to China by Mark Carney, where he agreed to reduce tariffs against several Chinese goods and open Canada's markets for products like electric vehicles.

The United States has been at odds with Canada since Donald Trump took over as the President. The Trump adminsitarations has been mounting pressure on Canada by calling the country the 51st state of America and demanding open access to Canadian water, energy and critical minerals. It also threatened Canada with covert and overt actions if the country didn't comply with Trump's demands.