Favourability towards India unchanged from prior to thawing of diplomatic relations under Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s middle-power outreach tour is in India as he looks to continue patching up a relationship that has frayed in recent years while broadening Canada’s economic horizons in the Indo-Pacific.
New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute in partnership with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada finds a majority of Canadians say Carney’s trip to India comes at the ‘right time’ but expressing caution about the pace of trade talks.
Negotiations around the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Alliance (CEPA) between India and Canada come after a diplomatic thaw initiated by Carney shortly after winning a minority government in last year’s election.
Ties between the two countries fizzled in the wake of allegations levelled by Carney’s predecessor of the Indian government’s involvement in the killing of a Khalistani activist on Canadian soil.
Now, half (53%) of Canadians say it is the right time for Carney to go on an official visit to India, with a further seven per cent believing the trip is too long in coming.
A majority (57%) believe Canada should prioritize trade and investment generally in its relationship with India, while a specific focus on energy (31%) also ranks high on potential cooperation points, above working together on emerging technologies (16%), high-skilled immigration to Canada (14%) or security and defence (7%).
That said, Canadians are not exactly expressing urgency when it comes to the timeline of finalizing a broader free trade deal, currently under negotiation but not expected to be inked on this current trip. Three-in-five (58%) say Canada should “cautiously re-engage” on a free trade agreement “but let negotiations unfold at their own pace”. Fewer (18%) want a deal to be signed “as soon as possible”.
The above comes as Canadians’ views towards India have not warmed at the same pace as official relations. Three-in-ten (30%) say they have a favourable view of India, a similar number to that seen in March last year, and little improved from the lows seen in December 2024 (26%). More Canadians prefer their government approach India cautiously (38%) than on friendly terms or as a valued partner and ally (32%).
More Key Findings:
- More have a favourable view of India (30%) than of the U.S. (26%), and fewer want Canada to approach India as a threat or enemy (20%) compared to the U.S. (49%).
- Half (50%) of Canadians say the worsening of the trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. brought on by Trump has made them more likely to want their country to engage in trade with India.
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