Modi’s G7 Invite Marks Strategic Shift In Canada-India Relations

In a significant diplomatic development Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has extended an official invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the upcoming G7 leaders' summit in Alberta from June 15 to 17, 2025. The gesture signals a potential thaw in Canada-India relations, which have been under considerable strain since 2023 over the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

Speaking at a press conference in Ottawa on Friday, Carney said the decision was made in consultation with other G7 member states. He emphasized India's central role in global issues, stating, "India is the fifth largest economy in the world, effectively the most populous country in the world, central to, at the heart of those supply chains." He underlined that discussions at the summit will cover critical topics such as energy security, digital transformation, infrastructure development in the global south, and critical minerals.

Carney made the invitation during a phone call with Modi on Friday, and the Indian leader later confirmed his attendance in a post on X, expressing enthusiasm about engaging with G7 leaders.

Carney In Press Conference

Carney clarified that U.S. President Donald Trump was not involved in consultations regarding Modi's invitation. He also noted that India has shown greater willingness to cooperate in the ongoing Canadian investigation into Nijjar's killing, which occurred outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18, 2023. "Bilaterally, we have now agreed, importantly, to continue law enforcement dialogue so there's been some progress on that," Carney said, linking the diplomatic engagement to security cooperation.

Carney was asked whether Modi himself had any involvement in the Nijjar case-an allegation previously floated in Canadian media reports. He declined to comment directly, citing the advanced stage of an ongoing legal process. In November 2024, Canada's National Security and Intelligence Advisor Nathalie G. Drouin had stated that there was no evidence implicating Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, or National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. She called any suggestion to the contrary "speculative and inaccurate."

Support for the invitation came from Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who said, "India has been at the last six G7 conferences. It's one of the biggest and fastest-growing economies in the world. We need to sell our natural gas, our civilian nuclear power technology and other resource projects to India."

However, criticism came from within the New Democratic Party and even from members of Carney's own Liberal Party. Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal, who represents Surrey-Newton-home to the gurdwara Nijjar led-voiced opposition. Sikh advocacy groups also condemned the move, with the World Sikh Organisation calling it a "betrayal of Sikh Canadians" and the Sikh Federation of Canada labeling it a "grave insult."

Controversy Over Nijjar Killing Casts Shadow, But India Maintains G7 Presence

India has consistently denied involvement in Nijjar's killing and rejected Canadian accusations as "preposterous." Since 2023, four Indian nationals have been arrested and charged in connection to the murder, but no trial date has been set.

Despite the controversy, India's presence at the G7 has precedent. Modi has attended six previous G7 summits as an invitee, though India is not a formal member. Carney, as this year's summit chair, also invited Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum-who has yet to confirm her attendance-along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The 2025 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, will focus on international peace and security, global economic stability, and managing the digital transition. A complete list of participating nations has not yet been released.