📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Jebulon
International
India-Canada ties strengthen as Modi meets Canadian FM, possible PR quota boost for Punjabis
✍️ Amar Ujala · Jalandhar
🗓 18 Oct 2026, 11:15 AM
👁 17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the Canadian foreign minister, signalling a thaw in bilateral ties and hinting at a larger permanent‑resident quota for Punjabi immigrants.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Canada’s foreign minister in a meeting aimed at resetting the diplomatic relationship between the two nations. Both leaders expressed a willingness to move past recent frictions and explore new avenues of cooperation across trade, technology and people‑to‑people links.
Canada has outlined an ambitious target of granting permanent residency to over four lakh newcomers each year. In the context of the renewed dialogue, officials hinted that the quota for Punjabi immigrants could be expanded, offering a tangible benefit to the sizable diaspora residing in Canada.
Analysts view the meeting as a strategic step for India to secure greater access to Canadian markets and expertise, while Canada seeks to attract skilled migrants from a region known for its entrepreneurial spirit. The outcome may set the tone for future agreements on education, research and investment.
The discussions also touched upon shared concerns such as climate change, security cooperation and the welfare of Indian students in Canada, underscoring a broader agenda beyond immigration.
Both governments indicated that concrete proposals will be drafted in the coming weeks, marking a proactive phase in Indo‑Canadian relations.
Canada has outlined an ambitious target of granting permanent residency to over four lakh newcomers each year. In the context of the renewed dialogue, officials hinted that the quota for Punjabi immigrants could be expanded, offering a tangible benefit to the sizable diaspora residing in Canada.
Analysts view the meeting as a strategic step for India to secure greater access to Canadian markets and expertise, while Canada seeks to attract skilled migrants from a region known for its entrepreneurial spirit. The outcome may set the tone for future agreements on education, research and investment.
The discussions also touched upon shared concerns such as climate change, security cooperation and the welfare of Indian students in Canada, underscoring a broader agenda beyond immigration.
Both governments indicated that concrete proposals will be drafted in the coming weeks, marking a proactive phase in Indo‑Canadian relations.