Modi and new Canadian PM hope to work together after spat
KANANASKIS, Canada: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed hope on Tuesday for improved cooperation with Canada as he met his new counterpart, Mark Carney, following a bitter dispute over New Delhi's alleged involvement in an assassination.
Carney, who took office in March, invited Modi to the Canadian Rockies as a guest of the Group of Seven major economies.
Carney's predecessor, Justin Trudeau, publicly accused India last year of involvement in the assassination of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil and expelled the Indian ambassador, prompting a furious reciprocal response from India.
Modi struck a conciliatory tone as he met Carney at a remote mountain lodge, saying: "The relationship between India and Canada is very important in many ways."
"Dedicated to democratic values, Canada and India will strengthen democracy together, and strengthen humanity," he said.
He congratulated Carney on leading his Liberal Party to an election victory and added: "I am confident that together with him, India and Canada will work together to make progress in many areas."
Carney said it was a "great honour" to welcome Modi to the G7 summit, but made a passing reference to the domestically sensitive row by mentioning "transnational repression."
Carney said he hoped to work with India on "the issues that we look to tackle together, from energy security... the future of artificial intelligence, to the fight that we have against transnational repression and against terrorism."
Canada is home to the largest Sikh population outside India, and the community has exerted growing political influence.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a naturalised Canadian citizen who advocated for an independent Sikh state called Khalistan, was shot dead in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in British Columbia in 2023.
Trudeau accused India of direct involvement. Canada has alleged that India directed a broad campaign targeting Sikh activists on Canadian soil, which Ottawa says has included intimidation, threats and violence.
India denied any involvement in the killing and stated that Canada should take stronger action against violent advocates for Khalistan, which has become a fringe movement within India.
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