Title: India to Welcome Back Full Canadian Diplomatic Team

OTTAWA - Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced that India has agreed to allow the return of a full cohort of Canadian diplomats. This decision comes a year after India required most Canadian envoys to leave the country. Anand made the announcement following her meeting on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior Indian officials. She is the first Canadian cabinet minister to visit India in two years, a period marked by diplomatic tensions.

During her visit, Anand and Indian officials signed a statement that outlines areas for potential cooperation, including trade and artificial intelligence. However, Anand emphasized that progress in these areas will occur gradually.

Speaking from Mumbai, she stated that restoring the full diplomatic presence is a crucial step for Canada before considering a trade mission or resuming discussions on a possible trade agreement. These trade talks have been inconsistent since 2010.

Anand also reiterated Canada's commitment to safeguarding the security of its citizens. This statement follows concerns raised by Canadian officials regarding India's role in transnational political repression.

Canadian officials are focused on rebuilding trust with India, a process that began when Prime Minister Mark Carney hosted Modi at the G7 summit in Alberta in June. The recent developments signal a potential thaw in relations between the two countries after a prolonged period of strain.