Hours after inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to this month’s G7 meet in Alberta, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Friday pointed to India’s status as the fifth-largest economy as a reason for the invite. Canada’s action is seen as a step toward improving ties between the two countries, which had seen a sharp dip under the previous prime minister Justin Trudeau.
“As chair of the G7, it is important to invite the most important countries to attend to talk about important issues such as energy, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and India is really at the very centre of global supply chains,” Carney said during a news conference on Parliament Hill, as reported by The Globe and Mail.
Carney also said that the most populous country in the world, with the fifth largest economy, should be present at the year’s G7.
The two countries had downgraded diplomatic ties after Justin Trudeau, the then Canadian PM, set off a political storm in 2023 when he alleged “potential” involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of a Canada-based Khalistan separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India rejected the charges as “absurd” and “motivated”.
On Friday, Carney declined to say whether he believed India had any involvement in Nijjar’s death. “There is a legal process that is literally under way and quite advanced in Canada, and it’s never appropriate to make comments with respect to those legal processes,” Carney told.
Carney, however, added that Canada and India had agreed to “continued law enforcement dialogue,” though he did not confirm whether this includes cooperation in the Nijjar investigation.
PM Modi confirms attendance
PM Modi had on Friday confirmed his attendance at the G7 in a post on X, saying he congratulated Carney on his election victory and that “India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests.”
“Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister Mark J Carney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the Summit,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
Usually, G7 host countries invite some countries as guest countries or outreach partners. Canada had so far invited Ukraine and Australia.
India has been invited to every G7 Summit since 2019. Barring 2020 when the G7 huddle was cancelled by the US, the host country, Modi has attended every Summit since August 2019.