Canada and India: Broadening and Deepening the Relationship

Abstract:

The report is one of a series of papers commissioned by APF Canada in response to a dialogue on Canadian foreign policy initiated by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham. The author contends that until very recently, Canadian foreign policy toward South Asia has ranged from indifference to neglect. A major impediment has been India’s development of nuclear weapons, the result of dramatic changes in the geopolitical situation in South Asia that Canada has been unwilling to accept. Until Canada modifies this position, and accepts India as a full partner or an equal, Canada may be unable to take advantage of the economic liberalization that has seen the Indian economy grow rapidly since 1991. Finally, the author suggests Canada can engage India on terrorism – and hence take a possible role in the Kashmir dispute – through the Canada-India Working Group on Counter-Terrorism set up after the Air India bombings.