Ottawa: Indian-origin Canadian politician Anita Anand has been sworn in as Canada’s new Foreign Minister following a major Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who aims to deliver a “mandate for change” with a leaner, refocused leadership team.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar congratulated Anand on her appointment. “Congratulate Anita Anand on your appointment as Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs,” he posted on X, extending his best wishes to his Canadian counterpart.
Anand, who previously held the Defence and Transport portfolios, returns to high office after briefly announcing her exit from politics earlier this year to return to academia. However, she was re-elected in last month’s election and persuaded by Carney to lead the foreign affairs ministry during a critical period in Canada’s international relations.
Taking to X, Anand expressed her gratitude, stating, “I am honoured to be named Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mark Carney and our team to build a safer, fairer world and deliver for Canadians.”
One of her key challenges will be navigating a diplomatic reset with India after bilateral ties soured during former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tenure. Anand’s appointment signals Carney’s intent to repair relations, which he described as “incredibly important,” stressing before the elections that “there is a path forward to address those with mutual respect and to build out.”
The reshuffle comes as Carney, who recently led the Liberal Party to victory against the odds, looks to establish his own mark on governance. He has trimmed the size of the Cabinet from 39 under Trudeau to 28, with a directive for ministers to “bring new ideas, a clear focus and decisive actions to their work.”
Alongside Anand, Maninder Sidhu has been appointed Minister of International Trade, and two other Canadians of Indian descent have been named secretaries of state—the equivalent of ministers of state.
Anand replaces Melanie Joly, who has now been moved to the Transport and Internal Trade Ministry—a position she previously held. Joly was at the centre of escalating tensions with India last year after expelling six Indian diplomats over alleged links to the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India denied involvement, citing signs of gang warfare, and responded by expelling Canadian diplomats in retaliation.
The new Cabinet features fewer Indian-origin members. Harjit Singh Sajjan, who previously served as Defence Minister and held the Emergency Preparedness portfolio, did not seek re-election and has exited politics. Ruby Sahota, formerly Minister of Democratic Institutions, has been downgraded to Secretary of State in charge of combating crime, while Randeep Sarai will serve as Secretary of State for International Development.
Notably, Arif Virani, former Justice Minister and Attorney-General, and Kamal Khera, who handled Diversity and Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities, have both been dropped from the Cabinet.
With Anand now at the helm of foreign affairs, all eyes will be on how Canada navigates its strained ties with India and balances evolving geopolitical relations, particularly with President Donald Trump's America.
With IANS inputs