Who is Anita Anand, Canada's new Foreign Minister in Mark Carney's revamped Cabinet?

In a significant reshuffle, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday announced his new Cabinet, appointing Indian-origin leader Anita Anand as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. The announcement marks a key moment for Canada’s Indo-Canadian community, with Anand becoming the first woman of Hindu heritage to hold this position.

Anand, Member of Parliament from Oakville East, was sworn in on May 13, placing her hand on the Bhagavad Gita. She replaces Mélanie Joly, who has now taken charge as Minister of Industry. This newly elected Carney-led Liberal government includes a 38-member Cabinet—28 ministers and 10 Secretaries of State—featuring notable diversity and fresh leadership.

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. pic.twitter.com/NpPqyah9k3

— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) May 13, 2025

'Focused, ready, and built for this moment'

Sharing the Cabinet announcement on X, Carney wrote, "Canada, meet your new Cabinet. This is a team that is empowered and expected to lead. Together, we will create a new economic and security relationship with the United States and build a stronger economy -- the strongest economy in the G7."

In another post, he added, "Canadians elected this new government with a strong mandate: to define a new economic and security relationship with the United States, bring down the cost of living, and build a stronger economy. This new cabinet is focused, ready, and built for this moment."

Alongside Anita Anand, the Cabinet features three other Indian-origin leaders—Maninder Sidhu as Minister of International Trade, Ruby Sahota, and Randeep Sarai as Secretaries of State—signalling the growing representation of the Indo-Canadian community at the highest levels.

Who is Anita Anand?

Anita Anand, 57, is an experienced politician who has been serving in Canada’s Parliament since 2019, representing Oakville, Ontario. She has held four major Cabinet positions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was responsible for managing the country’s procurement of vaccines and protective equipment as Canada’s Minister of Public Services and Procurement.

In 2021, she became the Minister of Defence. In this role, Anand oversaw Canada’s military aid to Ukraine and worked to address issues of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces. Her efforts were widely praised, especially for her work in improving military culture.

India welcomes move amid hopes of better bilateral ties

Reacting to the development, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar extended his greetings. In a post on X, he said, "Congratulate @AnitaAnandMP on your appointment as Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs."

Congratulate @AnitaAnandMP on your appointment as Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 14, 2025

This appointment also comes at a time when India-Canada relations have faced challenges in recent years. Carney, who took over from Justin Trudeau after the latter stepped down, has shown an inclination toward repairing ties with New Delhi. Unlike Trudeau, whose tenure witnessed a diplomatic standoff following his remarks on the killing of terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Carney has made overtures for improved cooperation. Notably, he had extended condolences following the Pahalgam terror attack in India.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated Carney on his election victory, noting the shared democratic values and people-to-people ties between the two nations.

“India and Canada are bound by shared democratic values, a steadfast commitment to the rule of law, and vibrant people-to-people ties. I look forward to working with you to strengthen our partnership and unlock greater opportunities for our people,” PM Modi had posted on April 29.