In the News

Minister Anand announces appointment of Canada's High Commissioner to India

CTV News, August 28 2025

Featuring: President & CEO, APF Canada, Jeff Nankivell

Excerpt: "It's an important step . . . but it shows that the two governments are confident that they can manage the tensions that exist between them . . . and they can continue on a step-by-step path."

In the face of criticism from Canadian Sikh activists opposed to Canada's re-engagement with India, Nankivell points out that "the government in Ottawa has made the argument that in order to navigate through this difficult situation . . . you need to have the restoration of those high-level contacts in order to carry on those conversations" to bring justice and accountability regarding the claims against India of foreign interference. 

Canada, India name new envoys as tensions between 2 countries thaw

CBC News , August 28, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: "It's a positive step towards rebuilding trust as well as re-engaging more fully with India... It builds on the momentum that was set at the G7 meeting.

"For both Canada and India we find ourselves in a situation where we have to diversify our economic and security relationships....[They both] find themselves in a world that is changing and in which they need new partnerships. 

While there is lot's more to do to rebuild the relationship, such as "progression on the economic relationship in particular.... progression towards the Free Trade discussions.... and more high-level visits," Nadjibulla stresses that the UN General Assembly may be the next key meeting to watch for signs for relationship building between Carney and Modi. 

India and Canada have named new High Commissioners to each other's capitals as they restore relations

Al Jazeera, August 28, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: Nadjibulla tells Al Jazeera that Canada and India may still "have a long road ahead in rebuilding mutual trust and in addressing serious concerns" from both nations, but "having top diplomats in each other's countries is an important first step." 

Reactions regarding the news on the high commissioners appointments from the Indo-Pacific diaspora in Canada have been mixed with some advocating for "justice and accountability" first while others  "are very much welcoming this development." She stresses that is "important for all Canadians to see accountability and justice, but at the same time it's good to have dialogue and diplomats engage in their work."

With economic diversification from the U.S. market top of mind for both Canada and India, the drive to "repair the relationship" and develop a sustained partnership is promising. 

Canada, India name new high commissioners as both countries restore relations

CTV News, August 28, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: In June Canada and India agreed to restore their top diplomats during the G7 summit in Alberta.

"The two sides moved as quickly as they could in naming of the appointments,” notes Nadjibulla. “This shows momentum in the reset in the relationship... There needs to be a lot of rebuilding of trust, and building of relationships agains."

She goes on to highlight that both nations have a vested interest in sustaining that momentum with a gradual aim of returning to diplomatic normalcy, step by step.

Canada needs ‘eyes wide open’ approach to China amid diversification efforts, say observers

The Hill Times, August 27, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: "The world has changed. The U.S. leadership of the Western collective response to China’s threat is no longer reliable." 

When it comes to trade negotiations with China, Nadjibulla says that Canada "ha[s] to be really clear about our expectations. This is not a return to some kind of re-engagement pre-2018. This is not an invitation to deepen trade relations with China...There has to be recognition that over reliance on either China or the U.S. presents risks.

...Trade is important. Commercial relations with China are important. But derisking has to continue... China will use coercion and there will be moments...where we disagree with China. And when China disagrees, it applies this kind of leverage." 

Wait, We’re Also in a Trade War with China?

The Backbench -  A Canadaland Politics Podcast, August 26, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: Assessing the recent canola tariffs impost by China, Nadjbulla claims that "China has systematically undermined other countries ability to compete in [high tech sectors like EVs] by essentially by overproducing... selling below market prices...and suppressing domestic consumption... The global trading order has benefitted China greatly, but China hasn't played by the rules.

"When a country does something China doesn't like they retaliate and they retaliate strategically and in a way that will hurt the most....This becomes then a fight between Ottawa, Quebec and Western Canada rather than a dispute between Canada and China." 

Asia Pacific Foundation's Vina Nadjibulla on the China-Canada trade spat now hitting canola

CBC, August 24, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: Nadjibulla discusses new developments in the Canada-China trade relationship after China introduces a steeps levies on Canadian canola imports and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe schedules a meeting with Chinese officials.

She notes that "that it is clear China is [imposing these tariffs] to put pressure of Canada to remove our EV tariffs that [Canada] imposed on China last fall... but we have to be clear-eyed in terms of what is possible with China.... but this action from china underscores that over reliance comes with risks, and these kinds of actions will happen again, even if this particular problem is solved." 

On top of trying to "resolve things with China," Nadjibulla stresses that Canada should also be looking to "diversify our partnerships with other countries... as well as working to use canola here domestically for bio fuel, protein production, and so forth."

Taiwan-Canada cooperating on ‘dark vessel’ detection: report

Taipei Times, August 22, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: Canada and Taiwan have signed a memorandum of understanding  for the sharing of The Dark Vessel Detection (DVD) technology. 

Nadjibulla explains that the technology is "sold as something that deals with illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, but it can also detect dark vessels that are engaged in all sorts of other activities, so anything from drug trafficking to undermining subsea cables and other kinds of infrastructure threats – grey zone tactics that China and other authoritarian actors are involved in." 

Tensions between India and America an ‘opportunity’ for Canada, says foreign affairs expert

The Hill Times - Politics This Morning, August 22, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "According to Vina Nadjibulla of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, both Canada and India can use their struggles with dealing with the U.S. as an opportunity.

The U.S. threat of secondary sanctions on India over Russian oil, she said, is less to do with the Ukraine war and more to do with America trying to seek leverage over India in its bilateral trade negotiations.

'If this was about Russian oil, then it wouldn’t just be about India … it would be about China and Turkey and others who are also purchasing Russian oil and gas,' she said."

Canada lends ‘dark vessel’ detection gear to help Taiwan track covert ship activity

The Globe and Mail, August 21, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: 

Vina Nadjibulla . . . calls the DVD program one of the biggest success stories of Ottawa’s Indo-Pacific strategy. She said Indonesia and Vietnam have also expressed interest in the technology.

Ms. Nadjibulla said she believes Taiwan will be able to use the satellite data to help protect itself against China’s grey-zone tactics – disruptive conduct below the threshold of war – that it uses to coerce the island of 24 million.

“It is sold as something that deals with illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, but it can also detect dark vessels that are engaged in all sorts of other activities, so anything from drug trafficking to undermining subsea cables and other kinds of infrastructure threats – grey zone tactics that China and other authoritarian actors are involved in,” she said.

Canada's Opportunities and Challenges in the Asia Pacific

Conversations Live with Stuart McNish, August 18, 2025

Featuring: President & CEO, APF Canada, Jeff Nankivell

Excerpt: When it comes to rebuilding Canada's diplomatic relationship with India, Nankivell tells McNish and fellow speakers that "[i]t's important not only for the affects it might have on trade and investment . . . but it is important to have a good relationship with India dispute [recent] difficulties . . . because India is rapidly increasing it's strategic influence in the {Indo-Pacific] region and the world. There is a strategic dimension that can have a long-term impact on Canada's interests."

"There is enormous potential for Canada to build relationships in Southeast Asia . . .  [those nations] are experiencing rapid economic growth on a sustained basis . . . and becoming more influential in regional affairs and global affairs . . . but [Canada] has to prove itself to be a reliable partner." 

Greening the military: Why defence spending must align with climate action

Policy Options, August 14, 2025

Featuring: Program Manager, Southeast Asia, APF Canada, Hema Nadarajah

Excerpt: "The world is currently gripped by growing geopolitical tensions, with global defence budgets expanding in many countries, including Canada.

...But while these governments allocate billions to traditional notions of national security, a deeper incongruity is emerging: In preparing for future conflicts, we may be compromising our ability to confront the climate emergency already upon us.

Canada can lead by example, demonstrating that national defence and climate responsibility can go hand in hand."

China to slap steep duties on Canadian canola after anti-dumping probe

The Logic, August 12, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: "China brought in 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian canola oil and canola meal in March following an 'anti-discrimination prob'” it launched after Ottawa imposed steep tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel and aluminum last fall... Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of the Asia Pacific Foundation [of Canada], argued China’s preliminary ruling in its anti-dumping investigation is meant to pressure negotiators as Canada nears its October deadline to review the EV tariffs." 

Thailand sells pride to counter prejudice

East Asia Forum, August 8, 2025

Featuring: Advisor, Research & Communications (Quebec), APF Canada, Alexandre Veilleux

Excerpt: "Thailand’s coalition government, which includes the Thaksin-aligned Pheu Thai Party and military-backed and conservative parties, enshrined marriage equality partly to attract the ‘pink dollar’ — the spending power of the LGBTQ+ community — and boost tourism revenue.

...But Pride events offer more than just celebratory and economic value, serving as platforms for visibility, activism and political engagement. While tourism drives much of the government’s interest in appearing inclusive of LGBTQ+ people, local movements have leveraged Pride events to raise awareness, advocate for anti-discrimination laws and strengthen community networks. Thailand’s rainbow economy is both an economic strategy and a mechanism for advancing LGBTQ+ rights."

US-India relations at their ‘worst’ as Trump slaps 50 percent tariff

Al Jazeera, August 7, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: “The breakdown of the trade negotiations was a surprise,” said Nadjibulla in response to the Trump administration's announcement that the U.S. will be imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on India (bringing the total to 50 per cent) due to its importing of Russian oil.

“This is a very difficult moment, arguably the worst in many, many years in their relationship and puts India in a very small group of countries that find themselves without a deal and with the highest tariff rates. They now need some pragmatic path forward and need to find a way to rebuild trust." 

Hinrich Foundation-Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada roundtable with Mary Ng

Hinrich Foundation, August 5, 2025

Featuring: Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada Regional Singapore Office

Excerpt: The Hinrich Foundation and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada hosted former Canada Trade Minister Mary Ng on 30 July for a roundtable discussion on the challenges facing the current multilateral trading environment and how to restore stability to global trade. The session was moderated by Chuin Wei Yap, the Foundation’s research director, and Barrett Bingley, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada's Asia regional director.

‘Important conversations’ on trade ties with India will be enabled by the return of high commissioners to the two capitals: Canada minister

Hindustan Times , August 4, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: "While formal trade negotiations may need to wait till early next year, we could see discussions in specific sectors and high-level dialogue and exchanges at the level of ministers and senior officials this fall.”

India, Canada to review trade ties before resuming economic talks in 2026

Hindustan Times , August 1, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: As Canada and India hint at a reset in their economic partnership, Nadjibulla notes that "formal trade negotiations may need to wait till early next year, [but that] we could see discussions in specific sectors and high-level dialogue and exchanges at the level of ministers and senior officials this fall.

"In terms of a timeframe, what might be feasible this year is a political commitment to resume trade negotiations and a launch of a stock taking process given that much has changed in the global trade landscape and in the economic calculus of both countries in the last two years. We are not talking about picking up discussions from two years ago, the framework for a trade deal has now changed and that needs to be reflected in any resumed negotiations.”

As Trump’s August 1 deadline looms, tariffs are here to stay, experts say

Al Jazeera, July 29, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: Despite announcing a string of trade deals in the past few weeks, Trump's tariff agenda, and the looming August 1st deadline, continues to put nations and economists on edge. 

Nadjibulla claims that "No one is getting zero tariffs. There’s no going back" when it comes to some of the consequences of the US Administration's 'America First' policies. 

Where do the tensions between Cambodia and Thailand come from? (Le Devoir)

Quebec’s Francophone Media, July 25, 2025

Featuring: Advisor, Research & Communications (Quebec), APF Canada, Alexandre Veilleux

Excerpt: Veilleux spoke with Quebec’s francophone media, including Radio-Canada ("L’info maintenant"),  Radio-Canada Quebec ("C'est encore mieux l'après-midi"), and LCN ("LCN maintenant"), on the escalating tensions on the Thai–Cambodian border. 

He also sat down with La Presse, Le Devoir, and Radio-Canada to point out that "the current crisis was reminiscent in its scale of a 2011 clash that lasted a week before subsiding," but that the hostilities which began last Wednesday are "probably the most intense between the two countries since 2011. This is the first time that Thailand has used combat jets on the Cambodian border."

While the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has made steps to defuse the situation, Veilleux notes that the hands-off approach may be ineffective. "Both sides have said they want to ease tensions... What we want to avoid, on the contrary, is a surge of nationalism on both sides. That's what happened in May, and that's where it can amplify the conflict."