4 'firsts' when PM Modi travels to Canada for G7 meet

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday (June 6) confirmed his participation at the upcoming G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. The PM said his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney extended an invitation to him, which he accepted.

“Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister Mark J Carney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month,” PM Modi posted on X.

The visit by the Indian PM to Canada is extremely significant, especially in the backdrop of Ottawa-New Delhi tensions that followed the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in 2023. Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau accused the Modi government of orchestrating the fatal attack on Canadian soil, which led to the rapid deterioration of bilateral ties.

More from World

'It makes sense': Why Carney invited PM Modi to Canada for G7 summit | Watch his reply From Operation Sindoor to infrastructural boost, report card of Modi 3.0’s first year

Now, Modi’s visit to Canada signals an emerging thaw in the bilateral relationship.

First Modi-Carney meeting

It would be the first meeting between PM Carney and PM Modi. During his election campaign, Carney repeatedly called India ties “incredibly important” for the country. “There are strains on that relationship that we didn’t cause, to be clear,” he said. “But there is a path forward to address those with mutual respect.”

Carney, who was under pressure by pro-Khalistani groups over the invitation to Modi, told reporters Thursday that a legal process was still underway in Canada and “it’s never appropriate to make comments”.

He also justified G7 invitation to PM Modi, saying, “India is the fifth largest economy in the world, the most populous country, and central to supply chains.”

First visit to Canada since diplomatic blow-up

It is PM Modi’s first visit to Canada since the bilateral ties nosedived under PM Trudeau following the Nijjar controversy.

The Trudeau administration not only accused India of interfering in its election process but also blamed “agents of the government of India” for Nijjar’s murder.

Followed by this, diplomatic expulsions took place on both sides.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

Now, Modi’s visit to Canada provides an opportunity to both nations to press the reset button.

Modi’s first foreign visit since the conflict with Pakistan

It is PM Modi’s first foreign visit after India’s four-day military conflict and Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May.

During the visit, the prime minister is likely to call out Pakistan’s terror agenda.

Meanwhile, the Canadian readout did not highlight much about the visit.

PM Modi’s first meeting with Trump amidst tariff tussle

The G7 summit will see PM Modi and Trump come face-to-face for the first time since the latter imposed a 26 per cent tariff on India in April this year but later paused.

As per reports, extensive talks are underway between India and the US to reach a trade deal. Both sides are pressing each other for tariff cuts and concessions amid pressure to hammer out a draft ahead of the July 9 deadline.

This will be Modi’s first interaction with Trump since their White House interaction in February.

The G7 summit will be held in Alberta province from June 15 to 17. While India is not a member of the elite bloc, India has been receiving invitations to the table as a guest nation since 2019, when France first extended an invitation to the Biarritz summit.