India-Canada Ties On Revival Mode? PM Meets Mark Carney: 10 Points
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 meet in Alberta today. Their bilateral meet carries the hope of a reboot in ties since they deteriorated last year under Justin Trudeau.
Here are the top 10 points from this big story:
PM Modi is in Alberta on the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Carney. India is not a member of G7, but attends the meetings.
The invite is seen to have signalled Canada's intent to get ties with India and the ongoing partnerships in multiple arenas back on track.
Ottawa's relationship with New Delhi had dropped to an all-time low last year, following the killing of pro-Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023. This is PM Modi's first visit to Canada since.
Then Prime Minister Trudeau had pointed fingers at New Delhi, alleging the involvement of Indian agents in the murder.
New Delhi had refuted the allegations and accused Justin Trudeau's government of allowing pro-Khalistan groups to operate from Canadian soil. In October. Last year, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats and expelled an equal number of representatives from Canada.
Mr Carney, an economist who joined politics recently, succeeded Justin Trudeau in the top job in April. Last week, Mr Carney said India's position as the fifth largest economy and its billion-plus population warranted the invite.
"As chair of the G7, it is important to invite the most important countries to talk about issues such as energy, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and India is really at the very centre of global supply chains," he had told reporters.
"As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigor, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the summit," PM Modi had said before leaving for the three-nation tour.
The G-7 summit comes amid an escalation in hostilities between Iran and Israel. In a statement, the G7 nations have expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself and condemned Iran.
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