Senior diplomat Mahavir Singhvi has taken over as India’s new Consul General in the Canadian city of Toronto at a time when India and Canada are focusing on rebuilding their relations and strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and critical minerals.
Singhvi, who joined the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in 1999, worked as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi before taking up his first foreign assignment. He dealt with many important topics, such as counter-terrorism and technology, while serving at headquarters.
The Indian Consulate in Toronto said in a social media post that the appointment “comes at an important moment to further strengthen and advance Indo-Canadian relations, with a focus on deepening cooperation in the areas of trade, technology, education and innovation.”
Singhvi looks forward to working closely with Canadian stakeholders and the Indian diaspora to “enhance mutual trust, expand partnerships and build a forward-looking partnership rooted in shared values and opportunities,” the post said.
“After joining as Consul General of India in Toronto, I visited the Jain Association of Toronto and offered prayers at the temple, and meditated on the eternal values of ahimsa (non-violence), peace, unity and harmony,” Singhvi said on social media.
During his career spanning nearly 25 years, Singhvi held key positions, including heading departments responsible for new and emerging technologies, strategy and counter-terrorism.
Last August, India and Canada appointed top diplomats Dinesh K Patnaik and Christopher Cooter as their respective high commissioners to their respective capitals, filling positions that had been vacant for about 10 months or more as they worked to normalize bilateral relations after a long row over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nigar.
The two countries reached agreements on critical minerals and the supply of uranium ore, and finalized the terms of reference for negotiations on a free trade agreement during Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India last month for talks with his counterpart Narendra Modi, with the aim of expanding trade and deepening security cooperation. The two sides also reiterated their plans to increase trade to $50 billion by 2030.
Bilateral relations deteriorated when former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged in 2023 that Indian government agents were linked to Najjar’s killing. India rejected the accusation, calling it “ridiculous.”
