Ontario/New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will visit Canada’s Ontario on Wednesday to participate in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Outreach Partners at the invitation of his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand.
During his visit, EAM Jaishankar is also expected to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, “EAM’s participation in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reflects India’s continued commitment to working with international partners in addressing global challenges and bolstering the voice of the Global South in international fora.”
On November 6, Canadian government stated that the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is scheduled to take place in Niagara, Ontario, from November 11-12.
According to the statement released by Canadian government, Anand will welcome foreign ministers from the G7 members – France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the US and the European Union. She stated that Canada will also host ministers from outreach nations, including India, Brazil, Australia.
The statement stated, “Canada is also pleased to host ministers from several outreach countries, reflecting shared global priorities and partnerships. These include Australia, Brazil, India, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Ukraine.”
“This important gathering will provide an opportunity to advance Canada’s G7 agenda on pressing global economic and security challenges, including maritime security and prosperity, economic resilience, energy security and critical minerals,” it added.
Canada assumed the presidency of the G7 for the seventh time on January 1, 2025. The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the European Union.
EAM Jaishankar’s visit to Canada comes a month after Anand’s visit to India, where the two ministers agreed on an ambitious cooperation roadmap for bilateral ties.
On October 13, EAM Jaishankar and Anita Anand held discussions to “restore and reinvigorate” the mechanisms necessary to advance bilateral partnership. The Ministers recognised that in the context of ongoing global economic uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions, a strong and resilient India-Canada bilateral relationship is essential.
A joint statement released following their talks stated that, in keeping with the priorities that the Prime Ministers of India and Canada had set out for bringing momentum to the relationship, both sides, based on mutual respect for shared democratic values, the rule of law, and a commitment to upholding the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, reached consensus on a ‘New Roadmap’ for India-Canada relations.
“Reviving this partnership will not only create opportunities for enhanced economic cooperation but also help mitigate vulnerabilities arising from shifting global alliances, ensure more reliable supply chains, and reinforce strategic stability in an increasingly complex international environment,” it mentioned.
Earlier in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, for a crucial bilateral meeting aimed at reviving strained relations.
This renewed engagement was followed by the appointments of new High Commissioners — Christopher Cooter as Canada’s envoy to New Delhi, and Dinesh K Patnaik as India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said that the two leaders had a “very positive and constructive meeting” and agreed on “calibrated steps to bring stability back to the relationship”.
–IANS
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