Who Is Anita Anand? EAM Dr S Jaishankar Congratulates Canada’s New Foreign Minister

The External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar congratulated the Canadian lawmaker for becoming the new foreign minister. "Congratulate @AnitaAnandMP on your appointment as Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs." EAM wrote on X. The Canadian leader took oath at the office of the foreign ministry in a major reshuffle in Prime Minister Mark Carney-led Cabinet. Anand, an Indian-origin leader who earlier served as Defence Minister in the Canadian government, has replaced Melanie Joly, who had been moved to the role of Minister of Industry.

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

🇮🇳 🇨🇦

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

The 58-year-old politician and leader of the Liberal Party took the oath at the office with her hand on the Hindu holy book Bhagavad Gita, as per the tradition she also followed in her previous appointments in the Canadian government. The Cabinet reshuffles come as PM Carney wants to induct his newly elected leaders, which include 28 elected ministers. 

Canadian Prime Minister also introduced secretaries of state, with an aim of showing a fresh start from the Justin Trudeau era. Nearly 50% of the Canadian cabinet are women. Mr Carney said the Cabinet was chosen to "deliver the change Canadians want and need," amid Canada-US silent trade war.

Anita Anand Swearing-in Ceremony

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

Anita Anand shared her oath-taking moment on social media, captioning it, "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."

Anand represents the constituency of Oakville East after winning the 2025 federal election. She has previously represented the Oakville riding in the House of Commons from 2019 to 2025 and held several key portfolios, including Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Minister of National Defence, Transport and Internal Trade and President of the Treasury Board. 

Who Is Anita Anand?

Born on May 20, 1967, in Kentville in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, to Saroj D Ram and SV Anand, Indian doctor parents who migrated to Canada from India in the early 1960s. Her mother is from Punjab and her father is from Tamil Nadu. She has two sisters, Gita and Sonia. 

On this day of celebration and remembrance, I think of my mother. She was the strongest women I knew.

My mother always guided and supported us through life with her compassion and wisdom, and always motivated me to keep going. On Mother’s Day, I hold her memory as a blessing… pic.twitter.com/GzEkh9VMB1

— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) May 11, 2025

Anand moved to Ontario at the age of 18, where she completed her studies in political science and later completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Jurisprudence from Oxford University. She also took her bachelor's and master's degrees in law from Dalhousie University and the University of Toronto.

Anand married John Knowlton, a Canadian citizen and lawyer, in 1995. They have four children and live in Oakville. She became the first Indian-origin Hindu woman to serve Canada's federal Cabinet in 2019 and also took senior roles like Defence Minister, etc.