India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa, Dinesh Patnaik, has made it clear that the next move on restarting trade talks lies with Canada. Speaking to CTV in an interview broadcast on Sunday night, Patnaik said that New Delhi remains open to reviving discussions on a free trade agreement, but it was Ottawa that halted the process in the first place.
“We are ready to work with Canada if they wish to move forward on a free trade deal,” Patnaik said. “But it was Canada that paused the talks, and it’s Canada that must decide when to resume them.”
Negotiations between the two countries had been making progress toward an Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA) before Ottawa unexpectedly suspended discussions in August 2023. The decision came just a month before tensions escalated dramatically after then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged in Parliament that there were “credible” links between Indian officials and the killing of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia.
Patnaik expressed disappointment over how ties had soured, noting that Canada had long been considered a friendly partner. “There’s no reason we can’t have a trade deal,” he said. “But it’s for Canada to decide what it really wants.”
While both sides have taken cautious steps toward normalizing relations, trade negotiations have not yet resumed. Patnaik recently hinted that India would now prefer pursuing a broader Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) instead of the limited EPTA once discussions begin again.
The deterioration of relations since 2023 continues to influence how India views Canada. When asked if Ottawa is seen as a dependable trading partner, Patnaik responded, “Not yet.” He added that India wants its trade partners to remain stable and not let political or external issues affect economic cooperation.
“We’ve always believed Canada can be a reliable supplier,” he said. “But certain developments in the past made us rethink that position.” Without mentioning Khalistan separatism directly, Patnaik emphasized that India’s priority is to ensure trade and investment remain insulated from political controversies.
“I truly hope we can move ahead,” he concluded. “Our goal is to safeguard the economic relationship from outside forces that might seek to disrupt it.”
