To make Canada, India safe, we need to talk about these issues: High Commissioner Patnaik on dealing with extremism

Ottawa [Canada], February 24 (ANI): India and Canada have understood that both sides need to engage in sustained dialogue and enhance security cooperation to address concerns related to violent extremism and transnational crimes, Indian High Commissioner to Canada Dinesh Patnaik said on Tuesday, emphasising that both countries recognise the need to work together to ensure the safety of their citizens.
Speaking to ANI ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to India and other Indo-Pacific allies, Patnaik said that the recent discussions between the two countries' National Security Advisors, during NSA Ajit Doval's visit to Ottawa, marked a significant step forward in strengthening bilateral security ties.
"This was discussed recently when NSA Ajit Doval visited Canada, and he had very extensive discussions with his counterpart, NSA Nathalie Drouin, as well as the Minister for Public Safety. And I think what they have put together is a wonderful action plan to take forward the security cooperation between both sides to address all issues--whether it's fentanyl smuggling, whether it is transnational organised crime, violent extremism, illegal immigration fraud, cybercrime, or cybersecurity," the Indian High Commissioner said.
"We are looking at cooperation in all sectors. Both sides have understood that if we have to make Canada safe and India safe, we need to discuss and talk about all the issues, have liaison officers with each other, and have cooperation which is on time and online," he added.
Earlier this month, India and Canada agreed to establish security and law-enforcement liaison officers during a meeting with NSA Ajit Doval and Nathalie Drouin, Deputy Clerk and National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada, as part of the former's visit to Ottawa.
According to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) release, at a meeting as part of the NSA's two-day visit to the country, both sides agreed to build on their working relationship.
These were part of the regular bilateral security dialogue between India and Canada, during which the two sides acknowledged progress on initiatives to ensure the safety and security of their citizens and agreed on a shared work plan to guide cooperation on national security and law enforcement priorities.
As per the statement, the establishment of liaison officers is expected to streamline bilateral communications and facilitate timely information sharing on issues of mutual concern, including the illegal flow of drugs, particularly fentanyl precursors, and transnational organised criminal networks.
Patnaik expressed confidence that the strengthened security framework would help address outstanding concerns in the coming years.
"This security cooperation that the NSA's visit has done makes me confident that over the next few years, we will be able to together deal with all the issues that are there between us," he added.
India and Canada encountered a diplomatic chill in 2023 when New Delhi expressed concerns over Canada's perceived leniency towards Khalistani extremist and separatist elements, with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging that Indian agents were involved in the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara the same year.
However, Patnaik noted that the trajectory of India-Canada ties has transformed in recent months following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Canada for the G7 Summit in Canada's Kananaskis in 2025.
He noted that since the appointment of High Commissioners in September, both sides have worked towards resetting the relationship.
"The Canada-India relations have really undergone a transformation over the last few months, especially after Prime Minister Modi visited Canada to attend the G7 summit in Kananaskis in June-July of last year. This has set the trend for what is happening now--the visit. The High Commissioners were appointed at the end of September last year, and for the last four to five months, we've been working very hard to ensure that the relationship is reset back to what it was before. This is an important relationship because it encompasses all aspects of the relationship between the two countries. It's a multi-dimensional relationship--from AI innovation, students, energy, any aspect," the High Commissioner said.
Patnaik highlighted a series of high-level engagements in the past few months, including meetings between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, as well as discussions on the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
He said the upcoming visit of the Canadian Prime Minister would further consolidate the renewed momentum in ties.
"You will see a large host of agreements across sectors--people-to-people exchanges, culture, defence, aerospace, space, energy, critical minerals, AI, innovation, universities, and education. This visit will put a stamp on the activities undertaken in recent months and take the relationship to the next level," he added.
The High Commissioner's remarks come ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to India from February 26.
According to a statement from Carney's office, the Canadian PM will first arrive in Mumbai, following which he will visit New Delhi, where he will meet PM Modi.
"Prime Minister Carney will first visit Mumbai, then New Delhi, India, where he will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The leaders will focus on elevating and expanding the Canada-India relationship, with ambitious new partnerships in trade, energy, technology and artificial intelligence (AI), talent and culture, and defence. He will meet with business leaders to identify investment opportunities in Canada and create new partnerships between businesses in both nations," the statement read.
This will be Carney's first visit to India after he assumed office back in March, 2025. (ANI)