Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and governance approach, highlighting his strong focus on delivering benefits directly to citizens while signalling Canada’s intent to deepen cooperation with India.
Speaking at the Lowy Institute think tank in Sydney, Carney described Modi as a highly disciplined and unique political leader who maintains an intense and demanding schedule. Reflecting on his interactions with the Indian Prime Minister, Carney noted that Modi has remained continuously active in public life for more than two decades, serving first as Chief Minister of Gujarat and later as India’s Prime Minister without taking a break.
Carney also pointed to Modi’s extensive political outreach and mass connect with the public. He observed that the Indian leader regularly addresses large public gatherings and remains actively engaged with citizens across the country, demonstrating a rare level of political commitment and energy.
According to the Canadian Prime Minister, discussions with Modi offered deeper insight into India’s governance model and economic reforms, particularly the emphasis on direct delivery of benefits to ordinary households. Carney highlighted India’s financial and digital transformation initiatives, including the development of real-time digital payment systems, which have helped reduce leakages in public spending and bring millions of citizens into the formal economy.
He noted that these reforms were designed to ensure that government benefits reach individuals directly and efficiently, strengthening transparency and accountability in the system.
Carney further remarked that despite India’s rising global influence, Modi continues to focus strongly on the needs of ordinary citizens. He described the Prime Minister’s leadership approach as one that consistently connects high-level global diplomacy with grassroots priorities and everyday concerns of the population.
The Canadian leader also reflected on India’s long-standing strategic outlook, suggesting that the country had anticipated many of the geopolitical shifts now shaping the international order. He noted that India’s tradition of strategic autonomy has allowed it to navigate complex global dynamics while maintaining its independent foreign policy approach.
Looking ahead, Carney indicated that Canada sees significant potential for collaboration with India across emerging and strategic sectors. Areas such as artificial intelligence, technological innovation and digital infrastructure were highlighted as key fields where the two countries could work together to strengthen resilience and drive future growth.
While acknowledging that relations between India and Canada had faced challenges in recent years, Carney said both governments were actively working to rebuild trust and restore momentum in the partnership. He added that progress had already been made in strengthening economic engagement and security cooperation, with further opportunities expected as the relationship continues to stabilise and expand.
