India and Canada Agree on Shared Security Work Plan to Rebuild Strained Ties

India and Canada have taken a significant step toward repairing their troubled relationship by finalising a shared work plan to strengthen cooperation on national security, law enforcement, and cybersecurity. The agreement was reached during high-level discussions in Ottawa between India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Adviser Nathalie Drouin.

The talks signal a cautious but important reset after months of diplomatic tension that followed allegations related to Khalistani separatist activity. Both governments have now indicated a willingness to move beyond confrontation and focus on structured, practical cooperation to address shared security concerns.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. (PTI) | LiveMint

Institutionalising Security Cooperation Through Liaison Mechanisms

One of the most important outcomes of the meeting is the decision to appoint dedicated security and law-enforcement liaison officers in each other’s countries. This step is intended to institutionalise cooperation and ensure faster, more reliable communication between agencies on both sides.

By establishing permanent coordination channels, India and Canada aim to reduce misunderstandings, improve intelligence-sharing, and respond more effectively to cross-border security challenges. Officials described this as a move toward building long-term trust and preventing future diplomatic breakdowns driven by gaps in coordination.

Joint Action Against Drugs, Organised Crime, and Fentanyl Networks

The shared work plan places strong emphasis on tackling transnational organised crime, particularly drug trafficking networks. Both countries acknowledged the growing threat posed by the illegal flow of narcotics, including fentanyl and its chemical precursors, which have become a major public health and security concern in North America.

Indian and Canadian officials recognised that organised crime, gang networks, and narco-financing increasingly operate across borders, making international cooperation essential. The renewed framework is expected to improve monitoring of supply chains, financial flows, and criminal syndicates that exploit jurisdictional gaps.

Expanding Cooperation on Cybersecurity and Digital Threats

Cybersecurity has emerged as another key pillar of the new agreement. With rising incidents of cybercrime, data breaches, and digital espionage, both sides agreed to formalise information sharing and policy-level cooperation on cyber threats.

The framework also includes collaboration on fraud prevention and related digital crimes, reflecting the growing role of technology in cross-border criminal activity. Officials noted that closer alignment on cybersecurity will strengthen early-warning systems and improve collective responses to evolving digital risks.

Immigration, Fraud, and Law Enforcement Coordination

In addition to security and cyber issues, the shared work plan includes continued engagement on immigration enforcement and fraud-related cooperation. Both governments acknowledged the importance of addressing document fraud, identity crimes, and misuse of migration systems in line with domestic laws and international obligations.

These discussions are aimed at improving operational coordination while respecting legal frameworks in both countries. The broader objective is to ensure that enforcement efforts are effective, transparent, and aligned with international standards.

Reset After Khalistan-Linked Diplomatic Crisis

The renewed engagement comes after a deep diplomatic rupture triggered in 2023 by Canada’s allegations regarding the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. Then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had publicly suggested possible Indian involvement, a claim that New Delhi strongly rejected as unfounded and politically motivated.

The episode led to reciprocal diplomatic expulsions, the withdrawal of high commissioners, and a near-freeze in structured bilateral dialogue. India repeatedly raised concerns about the presence and activities of Khalistani extremist networks operating from Canadian soil, making security cooperation a particularly sensitive issue in the relationship.

Gradual Normalisation and Strategic Recalibration

Since then, leadership changes in Ottawa and renewed diplomatic outreach have created space for gradual normalisation. Both countries have reposted high commissioners and resumed structured security and diplomatic engagements. The latest work plan is being seen as part of this broader recalibration, aimed at stabilising ties and restoring institutional trust.

For India, enhanced intelligence sharing and law-enforcement coordination are viewed as essential tools to address extremist financing, propaganda, and transnational networks. For Canada, closer cooperation offers a pathway to address organised crime and drug trafficking while rebuilding a key partnership in the Indo-Pacific.

Broader Implications for the India-Canada Partnership

Beyond immediate security concerns, the agreement has wider strategic implications. A stabilised relationship is expected to support cooperation in areas such as trade, technology, critical minerals, and regional security. By restoring functional engagement at the security level, both governments hope to prevent future crises from derailing broader strategic and economic collaboration.

The shared work plan reflects a recognition on both sides that sustained cooperation is necessary to manage complex transnational threats and maintain a constructive bilateral relationship.

The MGMM Outlook

The renewed security engagement between India and Canada marks a necessary correction after a period of diplomatic breakdown driven by allegations, mistrust, and political posturing. The shared security work plan reflects a return to strategic realism, recognising that transnational threats such as organised crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime, and extremist networks cannot be addressed through rhetoric alone. Institutional mechanisms like liaison officers, structured intelligence-sharing, and coordinated law-enforcement frameworks signal a shift from symbolic diplomacy to operational cooperation. This reset also implicitly acknowledges long-standing concerns about extremist ecosystems operating from foreign soil and the risks of allowing political appeasement to weaken national and international security structures.

More importantly, this framework places security where it belongs—at the foundation of stable bilateral relations. Without trust in intelligence cooperation, legal coordination, and enforcement integrity, no trade agreement, strategic partnership, or Indo-Pacific alignment can remain sustainable. The work plan reflects a broader strategic recalibration in which national security, cyber resilience, and disruption of transnational criminal networks are treated as shared responsibilities rather than diplomatic bargaining tools. By anchoring the relationship in institutional trust instead of political narratives, the agreement creates space for long-term stability, disciplined diplomacy, and a more mature partnership driven by state responsibility rather than ideological pressure or external influence.

(Sources: LiveMint, Hindustan Times, India Today)