India-Canada break the ice: PM Modi invited to G7 by Mark Carney amid signs of diplomatic shift
PM Modi confirmed receiving a call from Canada¡¯s new PM Mark Carney, who invited him to the G7 summit. This comes after strained ties under former PM Trudeau and marks a possible reset, with both nations agreeing to work with mutual respect and shared interests.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed receiving a call from newly-elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who invited him to the upcoming G7 summit in Kananaskis, scheduled from June 15 to 17. This development marks a potential thaw in the tense diplomatic relations between India and Canada, which had significantly deteriorated in recent years under former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Taking to X, Prime Minister Modi stated that the two leaders agreed to work together with "renewed vigour" and highlighted shared democratic values and people-to-people ties between the two nations.
Modi-Carney call and G7 invitation
The phone call from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was acknowledged by Prime Minister Modi on social media. He congratulated Carney on his recent election victory and thanked him for the formal invite to the G7 summit.
"Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. 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," wrote PM Modi.
Prior to the call, speculation had circulated over whether Canada would extend the invitation at all. This year¡¯s summit could have been the first since 2019 that Modi might have missed, especially in light of strained diplomatic exchanges.
Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada¡
¡ª Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 6, 2025
Backdrop of strained relations under Trudeau
India-Canada relations were severely impacted in 2023 after then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made allegations in the Canadian Parliament that "Indian agents" were involved in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India firmly rejected the accusation, stating that no evidence had been provided.
Tensions deepened further in 2024 when Canada labelled the Indian High Commissioner a ¡°person of interest¡± in connection with the same case. India described the new charge as ¡°ludicrous¡± and responded by withdrawing its High Commissioner and expelling six Canadian officials, including Canada¡¯s acting High Commissioner Stewart Ross Wheeler.
A possible reset under Mark Carney
Hopes for improved ties grew after Trudeau¡¯s resignation earlier this year. With Carney¡¯s election in April, optimism returned despite his membership in the same Liberal Party as Trudeau. He has described the India-Canada relationship as ¡°incredibly important¡± and expressed confidence that disagreements can be worked out through mutual respect.
The invitation extended to PM Modi is being seen as a strong signal of that intent. It is also viewed as a political setback for Khalistani groups in Canada, who had reportedly lobbied against sending the invite.
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Nancy Jaiswal is a journalist who started her career in reporting and has covered both hard and soft news. From serious city news developments to lighthearted lifestyle pieces, she has written on almost everything hapenning in India (except maybe alien invasions¡ªyet!). For her, writing isn¡¯t just work; it¡¯s a passion, an obsession, and sometimes the reason she forgets to reply to texts.
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