New Delhi: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the upcoming G7 summit, scheduled for June 15-17 in Kananaskis, Alberta. This decision comes amid the ongoing tensions between Canada and India, following the 2023 assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.
Carney, while addressing the media highlighted how India has succeeded in becoming one of the fastest growing economies, eventually becoming the fifth-largest economy in the world. Also, it has a central role to play in international supply chains.
‘It makes sense to have India at the table’
He noted that India’s participation is crucial for discussions on pressing global issues such as energy, artificial intelligence and critical minerals. “It makes sense to have India at the table”, Carney said.
This invitation has however sparked widespread criticism from various Sikh advocacy groups, notably the World Sikh Organisation of Canada. It views this move as a betrayal of Canadian values given the unresolved tensions into Nijjar’s killings.
Prime Minister Modi has accepted the invitation. He has expressed his optimism about strengthening India-Canada relations. In a social media post on X (formerly, Twitter) PM Modi talked about how the summit will be an opportunity for both the countries to collaborate on shared democratic values and mutual interests.
Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney 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…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 6, 2025
Bilateral relations between India and Canada
The G7 Summit will convene leaders from the world’s major economies to address the global challenges. India’s inclusion, though not as a G7 member will boost its influence on the global platform and the necessity of engaging the major global players in multilateral discussions.
Relations between the two countries have been at the crossroads since former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused India of killing a Sikh separatist leader on Candian soil.
