Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Alberta, in a sign of moving towards repairing bilateral relations that had strained sharply in recent times under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
During their meeting, PM Modi highlighted the significance of India-Canada relations and declared, “We will work together to strengthen democratic values.” The interaction follows strained relations over the killing of pro-Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023 and Trudeau’s contentious accusations against India.
Both Leaders Reaffirm Bilateral Commitment
As per a formal announcement by the Canadian Prime Minister’s office, the two leaders reaffirmed their mutual respect, the rule of law, and sovereignty. They also talked about making Indo-Pacific partnerships stronger, trade, energy security, and supply chains.
In an X post, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “PM reaffirmed India’s position on combating terror & expressed gratitude to the leaders for denouncing the horrific Pahalgam terror attack. He called upon them to mobilise international action against terror & emphasised the need to take severe action against those who abet & harbour terror.
Modi also emphasised India’s initiatives towards clean energy, such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and the Global Biofuels Alliance, while emphasising the need for a green and sustainable energy path.
Mark Carney Welcomes Modi, Prioritises Security and AI
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney termed it a “great honour to host” PM Modi and reiterated that their shared commitment is to tackle energy security, artificial intelligence, terrorism, and threats to the rules-based world order.
Carney also brought up G7 priorities like transnational crime, oppression, and international cooperation on global security in the conversation.
Both Countries to Appoint New High Commissioners
As a concrete outcome of the meeting, India and Canada agreed to appoint new high commissioners, signalling a return to regular diplomatic engagement and citizen services.
PM Modi’s visit to Alberta, his first since the diplomatic standoff last year, came at Carney’s invitation. While India is not a G7 member, its participation highlights Canada’s intent to reset bilateral relations.