OTTAWA — As Canada and India attempt to rebuild their strained diplomatic relationship, India’s new High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Kumar Patnaik, says Canada is “not yet” seen as a reliable supplier of oil and gas — a statement underscoring ongoing skepticism in New Delhi about Canada’s consistency as an energy partner.
In an interview airing Sunday on CTV Question Period, Patnaik said India — now one of the world’s fastest-growing energy markets — is looking for suppliers it can depend on long-term. “A country of that size is going to consume everything — energy, food, you name it,” he said. “So, we look for suppliers where they can be a reliable supplier. Not a supplier who today says, ‘Okay, I’m going to supply you,’ and tomorrow says, ‘No, I have this problem with you.’” When asked directly whether Canada fit that definition, he replied: “Not yet.”
The remarks come as both nations seek to turn a page after a diplomatic breakdown that began in 2023, when former prime minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the killing of a Sikh activist in British Columbia. Relations further deteriorated when the RCMP alleged Indian diplomats were tied to wider criminal activity targeting South Asian Canadians. Both countries expelled diplomats, and negotiations toward a free trade deal were suspended indefinitely.
The tone began to shift earlier this year. Prime Minister Mark Carney invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in Kananaskis, and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand met Modi in New Delhi this week, with both countries issuing a joint statement on strengthening trade ties.
Patnaik emphasized that while India wants to see Canada emerge as a reliable energy partner, the relationship must be shielded from political turbulence. “The political influence can become a negative influence on economics, which we have seen, always,” he said. “Our work is to make sure that the economic relationship is firewalled from extraneous forces that try to derail them.”
The comments came as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Prime Minister Modi had agreed to stop buying Russian oil — a statement that India has not confirmed. When asked whether India might turn to Canada for energy as it reduces Russian imports, Patnaik said India’s goal is diversification, but reliability remains key.
Speaking to reporters from India this week, Minister Anand said discussions with Indian officials showed “great interest in Canadian energy.” “Our prime minister has reiterated that there will be work as we augment Canada’s position as an energy superpower,” she said.
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson, speaking from the U.K., countered Patnaik’s assessment, saying Canada is “viewed internationally as a very reliable supplier of conventional energy.”
On the question of resuming free trade talks, Patnaik suggested the next move must come from Ottawa. “If Canada is ready to sign a free trade deal with us, we’ll be more than happy to work with Canada. But it is the Canadians who paused it,” he said.
Despite lingering mistrust, Patnaik struck a cautiously optimistic tone, saying the “preposterous and absurd” allegations of the past are “behind us.” Both governments, he added, must now rebuild trust and predictability — key elements if Canada hopes to secure a foothold in India’s rapidly expanding energy market.
Courtsey CTV NEWS