External affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly mentioned enhancing bilateral cooperation, particularly within the context of Canada’s new technique for the Indo-Pacific area.

The telephone dialog got here greater than two weeks after Canada issued its complete technique for the Indo-Pacific that’s aimed toward selling peace, resilience and safety amid challenges arising from China’s aggressive behaviour throughout the area.

“Good to talk to Canadian FM @melaniejoly. Spoke about enhancing our bilateral cooperation and promoting people to people ties. Also exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific and how Canada’s new strategy can contribute to our relationship,” Jaishankar stated in a tweet.

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Joly tweeted that she and Jaishankar mentioned Canada’s “new Indo-Pacific Strategy and how we plan to work together to strengthen our people-to-people ties and advance our shared interests as India chairs the G20 next year”.

Ties between India and Canada have been hit by a number of irritants lately, together with New Delhi’s considerations concerning the actions of pro-Khalistan activists on Canadian soil. Both sides are presently making an attempt to return their relationship to a good keel.

Canada’s Indo-Pacific technique lists India as a key participant within the area. The technique stated Canada will concentrate on increasing financial engagement with India, together with by way of deeper commerce and funding ties and cooperation for constructing resilient provide chains.

“India’s strategic importance and leadership – both across the region and globally – will only increase as India, the world’s biggest democracy, becomes the most populous country in the world and continues to grow its economy,” the technique doc said.

“Canada will seek new opportunities to partner and engage in dialogue in areas of common interest and values, including security, and the promotion of democracy, pluralism and human rights,” it added.

The technique doc additionally listed Canada’s considerations associated to China’s aggressive and assertive behaviour lately, together with its “coercive treatment of other countries”.

It stated, “China has benefitted from the rules-based international order to grow and prosper, but it is now actively seeking to reinterpret these rules to gain greater advantage.”

The doc added, “China’s assertive pursuit of its economic and security interests, advancement of unilateral claims, foreign interference and increasingly coercive treatment of other countries and economies have significant implications in the region, in Canada and around the world.”

The doc additional emphasised that respect for the sovereignty of different states is a cornerstone of the rules-based worldwide order and of the power of governments to work collectively to unravel shared issues.