Canada and India Strengthen Security Ties with New Liaison Officers Amid Past Tensions
February 8, 2026
Canada and India agreed to establish security and law-enforcement liaison officers during NSA Ajit Doval's Ottawa visit, aiming to streamline communications and enable timely information sharing on mutual security concerns.
The talks identified focus areas such as illegal drug flows—especially fentanyl precursors—transnational organized crime, cybersecurity policy, information sharing, fraud, and immigration enforcement, with a formalized cooperation framework.
Both sides acknowledged progress on existing initiatives and adopted a shared work plan to guide national security and law-enforcement cooperation, including formalizing cybersecurity policy collaboration and information sharing.
Analysts view the security-focused rapprochement as momentum-building, signaling willingness on both sides to re-engage gradually toward broader engagement and normalcy despite not resolving all disputes.
Earlier steps toward reconciliation included reconnecting high commissioners and resuming dialogue at multiple government levels to reset ties.
The reset sits against a backdrop of past tensions, including Trudeau’s 2023 allegations about possible Indian links to Khalistani violence, which India rejected and which strained trust.
Ottawa’s approach is to move from political posturing to concrete action, rebuilding trust and treating Khalistani networks as organized crime in the security framework.
The talks underscored that extremist groups, including Khalistani-linked networks, do not have the government’s support, reinforcing the current stance in engagements.
Both sides emphasized that cooperation would operate within domestic laws and international obligations, establishing guardrails to rebuild trust.
The discussions could pave the way for broader bilateral cooperation in areas like uranium, energy, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence in future engagements.
Beyond security, both countries voiced optimism about expanding cooperation in trade, culture, and technology as part of a deeper partnership.
The roadmap aims to revive economic ties amid global uncertainty while strengthening cyber security and information sharing.
Summary based on 9 sources
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Sources

The Times Of India • Feb 8, 2026
India, Canada step up security cooperation
The Times Of India • Feb 8, 2026
India, Canada to forge 'shared work plan' to bolster security cooperation
