Why PM Modi’s ‘brief’ meet with Canada’s Justin Trudeau in Laos signals no thaw in relations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “brief” interaction with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau has stirred buzz amid frosty ties between the two countries. The duo came face to face on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Laos’ Vientiane on Friday (October 11).

Trudeau said he told PM Modi that there are “real issues” they need to solve. New Delhi has denied any “substantive discussion” between the two leaders. India and Canada’s relations have been on a downward spiral since September last year when Trudeau linked the Indian government to the killing of Khalistan separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, on Canadian soil. New Delhi rejected the charge at the time as “absurd” and “motivated”.

Let’s take a closer look.

What Canadian PM said about meeting Modi

Trudeau made his meeting with PM Modi public, saying he had a “brief exchange” with his Indian counterpart in Laos, as per a report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC News).

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Speaking to reporters at a press conference in the Southeast Asia country, the Canadian PM said “I emphasised that there is work that we need to do. I won’t go into details about what we talked about, but what I’ve said many times is that the safety of Canadians and upholding the rule of law is one of the fundamental responsibilities of any Canadian government, and that’s what I’ll stay focused on.”

This was the second meeting between Modi and Trudeau this year after they came face to face on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy, in June.

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The Canadian PM also stood by the allegations he made last September against the Indian government’s “potential” involvement in Nijjar’s killing outside a gurdwara in British Columbia in June 2023.

“What I will say is that the statement I made around credible allegations of India’s involvement in the death of Canadian on Canadian soil continues to stand, that our responsibility as a government to keep Canadians safe in their homes and their communities right across the country remains one of the top preoccupations of this government,” he was quoted as saying by CBC News.

India responds

New Delhi rejected that any “substantive discussion” took place between PM Modi and Trudeau. Sources told ThePrint that ties between New Delhi and Ottawa “cannot be repaired” until “strict and verifiable action” is taken by the Canadian government against those who “actively pursue anti-India activities and have conspired to promote hate, disinformation, communal disharmony and violence in India as well as Canada”.

According to government sources, the two leaders only greeted each other when they met in Laos, reported NDTV.

New Delhi continues to expect that “anti-India Khalistani activities will not be allowed to take place on Canadian soil and that firm action, which is lacking thus far, will be taken against those advocating violence, extremism and terrorism against India from Canadian territory”, sources said.

They also warned Ottawa of a “growing nexus of such forces with organised crime, drug syndicates and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well”.

India-Canada tensions

In September 2023, Trudeau told the House of Commons that his government was probing “credible allegations” on the links between Indian officials and the killing of Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by New Delhi. Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18, 2023.

His remarks had come days before he held a bilateral meeting with PM Modi during the G20 Summit in New Delhi.

The Canadian PM’s allegations sparked a major diplomatic row between New Delhi and Ottawa. The tensions escalated as both countries removed their top envoys in a tit-for-tat move.

Canada had to recall its 40 diplomats from India as New Delhi called for “parity” in diplomatic presence. India also temporarily suspended visa issuance to Canadians.

New Delhi temporarily closed its high commission and consulates in Canada citing threats to its diplomats in the North American country. While the diplomatic missions have since reopened, the ties between the two countries remain sour.

Previously, a Canadian media report accused, citing a report by the spy agency Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), India and Pakistan of “foreign interference” in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections in Canada. New Delhi vehemently denied the charges, calling them “baseless allegations”.

Earlier this week, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly described her country’s relations with India as “tense” and “very difficult” currently. She also claimed there is “still a threat” to more killings like Nijjar’s on Canadian soil, as per CBC News.

Speaking to journalists in Laos on Friday, Trudeau said that Canada needs to “continue to develop our trade ties and our people-to-people ties, but there are real issues that we need to solve for and we’re going to stay focused on that.”

With input from agencies