Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has come under mounting criticism for extending an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the forthcoming G7 summit in Alberta, even as tensions simmer over the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Carney, who took office earlier this year, said on Friday that India’s economic stature and geopolitical importance necessitated engagement, despite the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) assertion that Nijjar’s assassination in British Columbia last year was orchestrated at the “highest levels” of the Indian government.
“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 reporters. He declined to directly state whether he believed Modi had a role in Nijjar’s murder. Four Indian nationals residing in Canada have been charged in connection with the killing.
The G7 summit will take place from 15 to 17 June in Kananaskis, Alberta. India is not a member of the G7 bloc but has frequently been invited as a guest due to its strategic relevance.
Carney said, “India is the fifth largest economy in the world, the most populous country in the world and central to supply chains,” noting the need for dialogue on critical issues such as energy, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals.
“I extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi and, in that context, he has accepted,” Carney confirmed.
Also read: PM invited to G7 by Canada, looks forward to meeting leaders
Modi, in a statement, said he was “glad to receive a call from Carney” and congratulated him on his recent electoral victory. “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,” Modi said.
Relations between Ottawa and New Delhi deteriorated significantly after Canadian law enforcement accused Indian agents of involvement in Nijjar’s politically motivated killing in Surrey, British Columbia. Both countries expelled top diplomats in the wake of the controversy.
Canada has also accused India of operating a campaign of transnational repression on Canadian soil, including interference in domestic politics, gangland intimidation, and extrajudicial violence.
The World Sikh Organisation (WSO) lashed out at Carney’s decision, calling it “a betrayal”. Its president Danish Singh said, “For Sikhs in Canada, this is a betrayal, not just of our community, but of core Canadian values. Prime Minister Carney’s decision to invite Narendra Modi, while India continues to deny any role in the assassination of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar and refuses to cooperate with Canadian authorities, is both shameful and dangerous.”
Singh added, “We would never welcome leaders from Russia, China, or Iran under such circumstances. Yet India has done far more on Canadian soil in terms of foreign interference and transnational repression, including orchestrating murders, and is being rewarded with a red carpet welcome.”
Meanwhile, Carney also held a high-level phone call with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, the first since taking office in March. The two sides agreed to “regularise channels of communication” amid a prolonged trade dispute that has led to multi-billion-dollar losses through reciprocal tariffs on seafood, electric vehicles, canola, pork and peas.
Carney and Li also reportedly discussed joint efforts to curb illegal production of the opioid fentanyl.
In a parallel diplomatic effort, Carney is engaged in discussions with US President Donald Trump to resolve a bilateral trade conflict that erupted over tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium. Ontario Premier Doug Ford confirmed the ongoing talks, calling them “deep, deep discussions”, a claim also backed by Canada’s industry minister later in the day.
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