President Droupadi Murmu on Friday received the credentials of Christopher Cooter, the newly appointed High Commissioner of Canada to India, at a formal ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. This marks a major step in the efforts by both countries to reset their strained relationship.
President Murmu also accepted credentials from Ahmedou Sidi Mohamed, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Christian Biever, Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and Tomaz Mencin, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia.
The new development comes days ahead of Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s visit to India on October 13-14.
The appointment of a new Canadian High Commissioner comes nearly two years after diplomatic ties deteriorated over allegations made by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accusing Indian agents of involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canada-based Sikh separatist, outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.
India strongly rejected the claims as “absurd and motivated”, and in the aftermath, both nations expelled diplomats, suspended visa services, and traded accusations. India accused Canada of harbouring extremists and interfering in internal matters. Meanwhile, Canada provided “no specific information” to support the allegations.
A diplomatic thaw began in June 2025, during the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney, who assumed office in March. Both leaders agreed to “take calibrated and constructive steps to restore stability” in the relationship, starting with the early return of High Commissioners.
With the designation of the newly appointed High Commissioner of Canada to India, both countries have started fulfilling the commitment made during that meeting, with a view to returning to regular services for citizens and businesses in both countries.
A recent report by the Canadian government, titled ‘2025 Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks in Canada’, identified Khalistani violent extremist groups, including Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation, as among the terrorist entities that have received financial support originating from Canada.
This acknowledgment signifies a major shift in Ottawa’s narrative, potentially laying the groundwork for broader cooperation on counter-terrorism and extremist financing.