That’s why Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has issued a standing invitation to his Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He hopes Modi will attend the next G7 leaders’ summit—scheduled to take place in Alberta from June 15–17, 2025. Tensions between the two nations are at a fever pitch amid explosive allegations in the assassination of Canadian activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Both leaders know that dialogue is key, especially at this high-stakes international event.
The personal invitation to invest was delivered during a recent phone call between Carney and Indian PM, Narendra Modi. In addition, he underscored the importance of India’s participation in discussions among G7 leaders. He spoke to the importance of having diverse perspectives in addressing global challenges.
“India is the fifth-largest economy in the world, the most populous country in the world and central to supply chains,” Carney stated, underscoring India’s relevance in contemporary geopolitical discussions.
Modi quickly accepted the invitation, and in his acceptance expressed optimism about the future of India–Canada cooperation.
“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,” – Narendra Modi
Yet the backdrop of their otherwise amicable exchange is still marred by the continued tensions of Nijjar’s murder. The Sikh independence activist was shot to death mid-day on September 18 in Surrey, British Columbia, causing a seismic diplomatic rift between Canada and India. Four Indian nationals residing in Canada, including two Canadian citizens, are facing murder charges. At the same time, Indian authorities stand accused by U.S. prosecutors of directing a failed assassination on a different Sikh separatist leader in New York this spring.
The situation escalated last year when both countries expelled each other’s top diplomats amid accusations regarding the involvement of Indian government agents in Nijjar’s killing. Balpreet Singh, a prominent figure within the Sikh community, criticized the current state of affairs, stating:
“So for us, this is unacceptable, it’s shocking and it’s a complete reversal of the principled stand that Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau had taken.”
High Commissioner Mark Carney admitted that difficult as the issues are, progress in the law enforcement dialogue has been made between Canada and India already. Still, he indicated that both sides are eager to get after the remaining issues. The G7 summit at the end of April provides an important platform for leaders to raise these urgent issues and galvanize action. Most importantly, it gives them the time to focus on repairing broken relationships.
