India-Canada ties 'extremely important': PM Modi tells Canadian counterpart

Business Standard

4 hours ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said relations between India and Canada are "extremely important" and the two nations should work together to achieve win-win cooperation in various sectors.
Prime Minister Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney held bilateral discussions on the margins of the G7 Summit here. This was the first meeting between the two leaders since Carney assumed office in May 2025.
Congratulating Carney on his grand victory in the election, Modi said, I am sure under your leadership, we will be able to work together in a positive way and take the India-Canada relationship forward."
I believe that India-Canada relations are extremely important and India and Canada should work together and achieve win-win cooperation in several areas, Modi said in his remarks ahead of the bilateral meeting.
He said Canadian companies have invested in India in a big way, and Indian people have also invested in Canada substantially.
We both stand for democratic values. Together, we can strengthen democratic values, we can strengthen humanity, Modi said, adding that if the two nations work together and optimally utilise all their resources, We can work for the welfare of the entire humanity." I am extremely confident that we'll be able to do this task, said Modi, who is in Canada at the invitation of Carney to attend the G7 Summit.
"Had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Complimented him and the Canadian Government for successfully hosting the G7 Summit," Modi said in an X post.
"India and Canada are connected by a strong belief in democracy, freedom and rule of law. PM Carney and I look forward to working closely to add momentum to the India-Canada friendship. Areas like trade, energy, space, clean energy, critical minerals, fertilisers and more offer immense potential in this regard," he said.
In his opening remarks ahead of the meeting, Carney said it was a great honour to host Modi at the G7.
He said India has been participating in the G7 since 2018, and this is a testament to the importance of your country, to your leadership, and to the importance of the issues that we look to tackle together - from energy security, from the energy transition that you're hoping to lead, to the future of artificial intelligence, to the fight that we have against transnational repression, against terrorism, against other factors, and the work that we can do together.
It is my great honour to have you here. I enjoyed your intervention just now and look forward to our discussion, Carney said.
Modi further said that he was happy to get the opportunity to visit Canada after 2015 and to be in touch with the people of Canada.
This is his first visit to Canada in a decade.
India is the largest democracy in the world. During our chair of the G20 Summit, we took many initiatives for the welfare of the world, and today we are extending that resolve through the G7 summit and going to execute it through the help of this platform as well." Modi said this is a great opportunity for us to serve the public good, the global good. It has always been India's intention to promote global goods, and today through G7 we have that same opportunity.
Carney's invitation to Modi to attend the G7 Summit signalled the new government's intent to repair the ties with New Delhi that plummeted to an all-time low over the killing of pro-Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In October last year, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case. India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.
India had accused former prime minister Justin Trudeau's government of allowing pro-Khalistani elements to operate from Canadian soil.
Carney, an economist and political newcomer, took charge as Canada's new prime minister in March following the exit of Trudeau from the top office.
After Trudeau's exit, New Delhi said it hoped to rebuild ties with Canada based on "mutual trust and sensitivity".
In the last few months, the security officials of India and Canada resumed contact and both sides were looking at the possibility of appointing new high commissioners.
Describing India and Canada as "vibrant democracies", the external affairs ministry said last week that New Delhi believes the forthcoming meeting between the prime ministers of the two countries on the sidelines of the G7 Summit will offer an important opportunity to exchange views and "explore pathways" to reset bilateral ties.
During PM Modi's last visit in 2015, bilateral ties were elevated to the level of strategic partnership.
Bilateral trade in goods in 2024 stood at USD 8.6 billion. India exported USD 4.2 billion and imported USD 4.4 billion worth of goods. Bilateral trade in services in 2024 stood at USD 14.3 billion, with India exporting USD 2.5 billion and importing USD 11.8 billion worth of services.