India, Canada agree to boost security ties, extradition cooperation

New Delhi: India and Canada have agreed to deepen coordination on combating transnational organised crime, terrorism, violent extremism, and the extradition of criminal offenders, a move that comes amid New Delhi's growing concerns over activities of pro-Khalistani elements from Canadian soil.

These issues were discussed during talks in New Delhi on Tuesday between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and David Morrison, the Senior Diplomatic and International Affairs Advisor to the Canadian prime minister.

A joint press statement released on Wednesday said the two sides noted with satisfaction the sustained and constructive bilateral engagements over the past year, guided by mutual trust, respect for each other's concerns and sensitivities, and a shared commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.


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It said both sides welcomed efforts to advance negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adding they discussed the growing potential for advancing a substantive bilateral defence relationship.

Morrison was on a three-day visit to India from October 5 to 7.

In the Doval-Morrison talks, the two sides reviewed progress in bilateral security and law enforcement cooperation, including the implementation of the shared Security Work Plan concluded in February 2026, the statement said.

"They agreed to deepen coordination and cooperation in combating transnational organised crime, terrorism and violent extremism, human and drug trafficking, cybercrime, extortion, and extradition of criminal offenders.

"They also reaffirmed their commitment to identifying additional areas for practical cooperation, including exploring the establishment of structured dialogues on cyber security and economic security," it said.

"Both sides agreed to strengthen existing institutional mechanisms and establish new channels, as appropriate, to facilitate streamlined communication and timely information-sharing on matters of mutual concern," the statement added.

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The meeting was held as part of the ongoing bilateral security dialogue at the NSA level. The previous dialogues in this format took place in New Delhi in September 2025 and in Ottawa in February 2026.

"Both sides acknowledged the guidance provided by their respective prime ministers during their meetings in New Delhi in March and on the margins of the G7 Summit in E vian in June," the statement noted.

The India-Canada relations hit rock bottom following then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in 2023 of a potential Indian link to the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India had dismissed Trudeau's accusation as "absurd". In October 2024, India recalled its high commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case.

New Delhi also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.

However, Liberal Party leader Mark Carney's victory in the parliamentary election in April last year helped rebuilding the relations.

Subsequently, both sides posted their high commissioners in each other's capitals.

The two countries also agreed to revive several mechanisms to advance relations in a range of areas.

The relations witnessed a major upswing since Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to India in March.