THE MEETING between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis next week will be an opportunity to explore ways to reset ties, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.
Both India and Canada are “vibrant democracies bound by a commitment to the rule of law”, so the meeting will be important for the two leaders to share views on bilateral and global issues, said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in response to a question at the weekly briefing.
On June 6, PM Modi received a call from his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney, inviting him to attend the upcoming G7 Summit in Canada later this month. Later, in a post on X, PM Modi congratulated Carney on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation. PM Modi said he is looking forward to meeting PM Carney in Canada.
The call was also an occasion for the two Prime Ministers to talk about India-Canada relations, and how it can be taken forward, the MEA spokesperson said.
“We believe that the forthcoming meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada will offer an important opportunity for them to exchange views on bilateral and global issues, and explore pathways to set or reset the relationship, based on mutual respect, shared interests and sensitivity to each other’s concerns,” he said.
The development comes after more than a year of strained diplomatic ties between the two countries, triggered by former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s allegations about the “potential” link between Indian agents and the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Canada in 2023. India rejected the charges as “absurd” and “motivated”, and consequently, both nations expelled high commissioners and other senior diplomats in a tit-for-tat move.
India has also repeatedly expressed concern about Khalistani extremism and anti-India activities in Canada and has asked authorities to take action against such activities.
Asked about Carney’s statement about PM Modi agreeing to engage in law enforcement dialogue, Jaiswal said there were “existing mechanisms between Indian and Canadian law enforcement agencies that have discussed issues of mutual security concern over a period of time. This engagement is likely to continue.”
The G7 Leaders’ Summit – held annually for the leaders of the G7 member states — the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada and the European Union — will be held in Alberta’s Kananaskis from June 15 to 17. India has been invited to every G7 Summit since 2019.
