India and Canada agree to post security liaison officers in major step to rebuild ties

India and Canada have agreed to deepen security and law enforcement cooperation, including through the appointment of liaison officers and a shared workplan, following high-level meetings in Ottawa involving India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The talks, held on 6 and 7 February 2026, come amid efforts to rebuild strained bilateral ties, which have been tested in recent years by concerns over Khalistani extremists' activities and allegations of foreign interference.

On 7 February, Doval met Nathalie Drouin, Deputy Clerk and National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada. The meeting formed part of the regular bilateral security dialogue between the two countries.

According to India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two sides "acknowledged the progress on initiatives aimed at supporting the safety and security of their countries and citizens". A key element was the acknowledgement that the violent extremist groups do not enjoy the support of the Canadian Government.

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This appears to address long-standing Indian concerns about Khalistani extremists, who have staged protests against India in Canada and threatened Indian diplomats in the past.

The officials agreed to a "shared workplan" to guide bilateral cooperation on national security and law enforcement issues and to "enable practical collaboration on respective priorities". They also decided that each country would "establish security and law-enforcement liaison officers" so that their respective agencies could "build on working relationships".

This step, the MEA said, would "help streamline bilateral communications and enable timely information sharing on issues of mutual concern to Canada and India, such as the illegal flow of drugs, particularly fentanyl precursors, and transnational organised criminal networks".

The previous day, on 6 February, Mr Doval met Gary Anandasangaree, Canada's Minister for Public Safety. A Canadian readout described similar outcomes, noting that the participants "acknowledged the progress made by Canada and India on initiatives aimed at supporting the safety and security of their countries and citizens".

Minister Anandasangaree, Ms Drouin, and Mr Doval "committed to formalising cooperation on cybersecurity policy and information sharing on cybersecurity issues, as well as continuing discussions on cooperation related to fraud and immigration enforcement, consistent with domestic laws and international obligations", the Canadian statement added.

The visit of Indian NSA Ajit Doval comes ahead of the visit of Indian trade minister Goyal to Canada and the visit of PM Carney to Delhi.