PM Modi to attend G7 summit after receiving invitation from Canada's Mark Carney

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that he will be attending the 51st G7 summit in Canada after receiving invitation from the Canadian counterpart.

"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 will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the Summit," said PM Modi in a post on X.



The development comes amid reports of PM Modi not expected to attend the G7 summit taking place in Canada from June 15 to 17 this year.

Strained India-Canada relations
Previously, Sikh separatists urged the Carney administration to refrain from inviting the Indian Prime Minister, citing India's alleged lack of cooperation in the ongoing investigations into the assassination of separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had accused the Indian government of involvement in the murder but failed to provide any supporting evidence, a claim that India has repeatedly denied. This diplomatic conflict led to a significant downturn in relations, resulting in both nations expelling each other's diplomats due to perceived hostile actions.

India is optimistic that Carney will approach the situation more judiciously than Trudeau and has expressed its willingness to collaborate with Ottawa based on mutual respect and understanding.

New Delhi is pressing Canada to ensure the safety of Indian diplomats and to take decisive action against extremists and separatists engaged in anti-India activities. A bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit could have served as a valuable opportunity for the leaders to renew their commitment to restoring diplomatic relations.

While Carney has not explicitly addressed the Nijjar situation, he has mentioned his intentions to use trade as a means to reset relations.

Modi and Carney have both given hints that they would try and improve strained ties. Carney, however, still asserts that Canada is not to blame for the current bilateral situation.