India-Canada relation: India will be a key guest nation at the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit, set to take place from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada. Though not a G7 member, India’s growing global influence has prompted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, this year’s G7 Chair, to extend an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
‘India should be at the table’: Carney
Justifying India’s inclusion, PM Carney stated, “There are certain countries that should be at the table. India is the fifth largest economy in the world, the most populous country, and central to several global supply chains.” His remarks underscored India’s strategic importance in global trade, energy transition, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
The summit’s agenda will reportedly focus on securing critical minerals, advancing AI governance, and enhancing energy cooperation among leading global economies and key partners.
PM Modi accepts invitation
Confirming his participation, PM Modi posted on social media: “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.”
Backlash over PM Modi’s invitation amid Nijjar probe
However, Carney’s invitation has not been without controversy. Sikh advocacy groups in Canada have criticised the move, citing the ongoing investigation into the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and Khalistani activist. Canadian intelligence agencies suspect involvement of Indian officials, though the investigation is ongoing.
When asked about India’s alleged role in the case, Carney said, “There is a legal process that is literally underway and quite advanced in Canada… It’s never appropriate to make comments with respect to those legal processes,” he said.
Four Indian nationals have been arrested in connection with Nijjar’s killing. Despite tensions, bilateral law enforcement dialogue has resumed.
India continues to rank as Canada’s 10th-largest trading partner.