India, March 21 -- India on Friday said it hopes to rebuild ties with Canada based on "mutual trust and sensitivity", striking a conciliatory tone after bilateral ties plummeted to an all-time low over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and New Delhi's concerns at the activities of extremist elements on Canadian soil.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal blamed the downturn in bilateral relations to the "licence that was given to extremist and secessionist elements" in Canada.

"Our hope is that we can rebuild our ties based on mutual trust and sensitivity," he said while responding to a question during a media briefing on the current status of bilateral ties in the aftermath of a recent visit to ...