While the recent G7 meeting in Kananaskis, Alberta was an event to discuss emerging global issues, it was also an occasion to mend old ties and rebuild relationships. Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, at the G7 for the first time. It was a first meeting of any Canadian Prime Minister with the Indian counterpart after nearly two years of strained ties between the two countries.
The leaders agreed to designate new high commissioners, with a view to returning to regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries.
Prime Minister Carney raised priorities on the G7 agenda, including transnational crime and repression, security, and the rules-based order.
In a recent press conference organized after G7 by Carney, the Canadian Prime Minister said that restoring High Commissioners is the basic to work with any country. “Both the countries have ongoing people-to-people ties. We do not have a high commissioner in India right now. We are not serving Canadians in India because of where we are and the reciprocal is for the Indian people in Canada. So just having a basic level of service or I would say duty we came for that understanding.”
The two countries also reaffirmed the importance of Canada-India ties, based upon mutual respect, the rule of law, and a commitment to the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
A statement issued of PM Carney’s office said, “The two leaders discussed strong and historic ties between our peoples, partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, and significant commercial links between Canada and India – including partnerships in economic growth, supply chains, and the energy transformation.”
The leaders also discussed opportunities to deepen engagement in areas such as technology, the digital transition, food security, and critical minerals.
Praising Carney, Indian PM Modi said in a social media post, “Had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Complimented him and the Canadian Government for successfully hosting the G7 Summit. 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.”
The move comes nearly two years after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other Canadian officials publicly accused New Delhi of being involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023.
Relations between both countries plummeted in the wake of the accusation, prompting tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions, the temporary suspension of visa services and allegations from India of Canada harboring “terrorists” and encouraging “anti-India activities” – a claim the Canadian government rejects.
Carney invited Modi to attend the summit, despite India not being a G7 member, saying earlier this month that it makes sense to have the leader of the world’s most populous country around the table when there are “big challenges” to discuss.
Modi and Carney shook hands in the western Canadian province of Alberta with the Canadian prime minister calling it a “great honor” to host the Indian leader at the G7.
“India has been coming to the G7 I believe since 2018… and it’s a testament to the importance of your country, to your leadership and to the importance of the issues that we look to tackle together,” Carney told reporters.
It came as welcome news to a larger chunk of Indian diaspora including businesses that have been waiting for the two countries to restore normal relationships.
However, Pro Khalistan groups expressed their disappointment by staging protests in Alberta and front of the Indian Consulate in Vancouver. The protests were, as usual filled with anti-India and anti Modi slogans, with anger expressed by hitting Modi posters with shoes and tearing of Indian flags.
