Canada's Anita Anand with Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister / X@CanadaFP

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Indira Anand, concluded a brief and “successful” visit to Pakistan before leaving for Manila to participate in the ASEAN summit.

Anita Indira Anand is the first Canadian foreign minister of Indian descent to visit Pakistan. The visit, an official communique said, was to deepen the bilateral relationship and strengthen trade and investment between Canada and Pakistan.

Minister Anand expressed her appreciation for Pakistan’s warm reception and generous hospitality and looked forward to continuing to build on the Canada-Pakistan bilateral and trade relationship.  

Meanwhile, India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar will also travel to Manila for the ASEAN summit.

Canadian exports to Pakistan grew by 65% last year, helping lift two-way merchandise trade to a value of $1.2 billion. That momentum is giving our countries a strong foundation for expanding investment, opening new markets and creating more opportunities for businesses. pic.twitter.com/Dp8Ck90jyo

— Foreign Policy CAN (@CanadaFP) July 21, 2026

On the margins of the ASEAN-related meetings, the Minister of External Affairs will participate in a Quad foreign ministers' meeting with his counterparts from Australia, Japan, and the United States. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from participating countries," an announcement of the Government of India said.

Though it did not specify whether S. Jaishankar would also meet his Canadian counterpart, Anita Indira Anand, it appears that the two ministers will meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN conference.

S. Jaishankar and Anita Indira Anand have taken advantage of every opportunity to meet and discuss geopolitical developments in general, as well as Canada-India relations specifically.

Anita Indira Anand's visit to Pakistan marked a significant milestone in Canada-Pakistan relations, as she was the first Canadian foreign minister to visit in nearly 20 years. Minister Anand met with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Minister of Interior, Mohsin Naqvi Munir, to discuss common priorities.

The ministers acknowledged the importance of predictable market access and reliable agricultural trade in promoting food security. Minister Anand welcomed the progress so far in the negotiations toward a Canada-Pakistan Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and looked forward to concluding negotiations at the earliest opportunity.

Minister Anand, on behalf of Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, signed an agreement that will allow Canada to export canola seeds for food, feed and processing to Pakistan. This was made possible through a negotiated protocol on phytosanitary import requirements between Pakistan's Ministry of National Food Security and Research and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The protocol will provide predictability on import requirements for Canadian canola and further facilitate trade for Canadian canola growers.

Minister Anand and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar agreed to encourage increased investments in Pakistan’s clean energy sector, particularly in power generation and renewable solutions for industry, including solar, wind and battery storage technologies. Minister Anand was pleased that the Canadian company JCM Power will soon begin development of its 240 MW Dhabeji hybrid wind-solar project in partnership with Karachi Electric.

The ministers agreed to continue to strengthen security collaboration, including on counterterrorism and combating transnational organised crime. Minister Anand announced that Canada will expand its support for Pakistan’s efforts with more than $2.2 million in new funding for projects with INTERPOL, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in partnership with the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation.

Recognising the challenges of climate change and poverty, Minister Anand announced, on behalf of Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development), $45 million in funding for three Canadian development assistance projects. This includes $10 million to help Pakistan restore access to education for flood-affected children in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, $15 million to strengthen climate resilience with the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, and $20 million to expand access to reproductive health services, including family planning, with the United Nations Population Fund.

 

Discover more at New India Abroad.