Modi to attend G7 summit in Canada in sign of warming ties

Japan Times

15 hours ago

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the Canada-hosted Group of Seven summit later this month as ties between the two nations improve.
The South Asian country is not a member of the G7, a grouping of seven of the world's richest countries, comprising the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan. But this will be India's 12th time participating and Modi's sixth consecutive invitation to the summit.
In a post on X, Modi said Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney invited him to the G7 summit and he looks forward to their meeting.
The development signals improving relations between the two nations, which have been frayed over the Modi government's alleged involvement in homicides and extortion targeting Sikhs in Canada who advocate for carving out a separate homeland for followers of the faith.
The rift started in September 2023 when then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian officials of masterminding the assassination of prominent Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen. The Indian government denied any involvement, calling the accusations absurd.
Carney's office said in a readout of the phone call that he and Modi discussed the longstanding relationship between Canada and India, including "deep people-to-people ties and significant commercial links.'
"Importantly, there was agreement to continued law enforcement dialogue and discussions addressing security concerns,' the readout said, adding the two leaders "agreed to remain in contact and looked forward to meeting at the G7 Leaders' Summit later this month.'
The invitation comes as the South Asian nation is expected to overtake Japan and become the fourth-largest economy by March next year, according to estimates by the International Monetary Fund, though it will still be among the world's low per-capita economies.
Trade between Canada and India totaled at least $12 billion in 2024. That's minor compared to the U.S.-India trade relationship, which totaled almost $130 billion and U.S.-Canada trade, which topped $700 billion, according to data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
But the barrage of tariffs being imposed by President Donald Trump means both Canada and India are looking to strengthen trade ties with nations other than the United States. This may prompt the two countries to reset their relations.
Canada is a major supplier to India of potash, a fertilizer critical to the agricultural sector. It also exports timber, paper and mining products. India supplies Canada with pharmaceuticals, gems and jewelry, textiles, and machinery. The South Asian country is also a significant source of international students to Canada.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada, a group that advocates for the country's large Sikh diaspora, expressed shock and hurt at Modi's invitation. It sent a letter in May urging Carney not to invite the Indian prime minister, pointing to his government's well-documented campaign of transnational repression targeting Sikhs in Canada.
"This is a complete betrayal of our community. It's second-class citizenship and it's hurtful,' Balpreet Singh, legal counsel and spokesperson for the WSO, said in an interview. "This is really a line that has been crossed.'
"Justin Trudeau had the respect of our community. We've seen that he had flaws, but he took a principled stand. But Mark Carney has shown that all that matters to him and his government is going to be the dollar, and that's unfortunate. That's a betrayal of Canadian values.'