Canadian PM Trudeau Congratulates Modi On Election Win, Raises Rule Of Law In India Relationship

Amid a strained relationship with India over the assassination of a Khalistani terrorist, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sent his wishes to Narendra Modi for electoral victory in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

"Congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his electoral victory. Canada stands ready to work with its government to advance the relationship between our nations' peoples-anchored to human rights, diversity, and the rule of law," his office quoted him as saying in a post on X.

Trudeau's message comes amid strained India-Canada relations, following Canada's allegations that Indian government agents were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar, designated a terrorist by India's National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey last June. A video of the incident, which surfaced in March, depicted armed men executing what has been described as a "contract killing." India has dismissed these accusations as "absurd" and "motivated."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the recently concluded general elections. The saffron party has secured 240 seats in the Lok Sabha, a significant drop from the 303 seats won in 2019.

With the BJP falling 32 seats short of a simple majority, the party will rely on its National Democratic Alliance partners. Narendra Modi is expected to take the oath of office on June 8.

On the other hand, many global leaders including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have congratulated Narendra Modi on his victory.

"Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Democratic Alliance on their victory, and the nearly 650 million voters in this historic election. The friendship between our nations is only growing as we unlock a shared future of unlimited potential," Biden said in his congratulatory message.

British Prime Minister Sunak stated he spoke to Prime Minister Modi and congratulated him on his election victory. "The UK and India share the closest of friendships, and together that friendship will continue to thrive," he wrote in a post on X.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the successful holding of the world's largest democratic elections in India.

"Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP, and BJP-led NDA on the third consecutive victory in India's parliamentary elections. I wish the people of India peace and prosperity, and I hope for continued cooperation between our countries. India and Ukraine share common values and rich history. May our partnership continue to thrive, bringing progress and mutual understanding for our nations," he stated.

"Everyone in the world recognises the significance and weight of India's role in global affairs. It is critical that we all work together to ensure a just peace for all nations. In this regard, we also look forward to seeing India attend the Peace Summit," Zelenskyy added.