Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Canada next week, following an invitation from his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, to attend the upcoming Group of Seven (G7) summit. The summit, set to take place from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, will mark Modi’s return to Canada after nearly a decade. Although India is not a G7 member—which includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States—New Delhi has consistently received invitations to the summit since 2019, signaling India’s increasing clout on the global stage.
Highlighting the rationale behind extending the invitation to Modi despite the recent turbulence in bilateral ties, Canadian Prime Minister Carney stated, “India is the fifth-largest economy in the world, the most populous country in the world and central to supply chains.”
This visit will be Modi’s first to Canada since 2015. Expressing optimism about the upcoming summit and the potential to enhance bilateral cooperation, Modi remarked, “As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigor, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the summit.”
Political experts believe that Modi’s presence at the G7 could serve as a critical opening to rebuild fractured ties between India and Canada. Relations between the two countries soured significantly after Canada accused Indian agents of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a 45-year-old Canadian citizen and Sikh separatist advocate. Nijjar was known for his activism supporting a separate Sikh homeland, Khalistan, to be carved from Indian territory.
India strongly rejected these allegations, calling them “absurd” and “preposterous.” The dispute escalated to the point where both countries expelled each other’s diplomats in 2023 and 2024, pushing diplomatic relations to a low point. However, expectations for a diplomatic reset have grown since Carney assumed office in March, replacing Justin Trudeau.
According to Meera Shankar, India’s former ambassador to the United States, Modi’s visit “hopefully mark[s] the beginning of a reset in India’s relations with Canada, which have plummeted in recent years over the Canadian allegations on the Nijjar case and India’s belief that Canada indulges Sikh extremism directed against India.” She added that both nations stand to benefit “if the relationship is stabilized, especially in a volatile world.”
The India-Canada partnership includes significant trade and investment flows. In 2023, bilateral trade between the two nations reached around $9 billion. Additionally, Canadian pension funds have invested approximately $55 billion in India. These financial ties underscore the interdependence of both countries. On the demographic side, Canada hosts a vibrant Indian diaspora of nearly two million people, comprising about 5% of the country’s total population. Canada is also a favored destination for Indian students, second only to the United States.
Still, major unresolved issues could hamper progress in healing relations. Central among them is the continued investigation into Nijjar’s assassination. Complicating the matter is Canada’s status as home to the largest Sikh diaspora globally, estimated at around 800,000 people. Within this population are proponents of the Khalistan movement, a fringe separatist group seeking to establish a sovereign Sikh state from parts of India’s Punjab region. This movement is outlawed in India, which has repeatedly urged Canada to take firmer action against its supporters.
Meanwhile, Ottawa has accused New Delhi of orchestrating an expansive campaign against Sikh activists in Canada. This alleged campaign, according to Canadian authorities, has involved intimidation, threats, and even violent acts.
Carney’s decision to invite Modi to the G7 summit has not gone unchallenged. Some Sikh advocacy groups in Canada have expressed strong disapproval, with protests anticipated during Modi’s visit. However, not all Canadian observers view the invitation as controversial. Former Canadian diplomat David Mckinnon applauded the move, saying, “The politics of this decision in Canada, and particularly within the Liberal Party, were not easy, but Carney made the right choice. It’s also notable that the leader of the opposition, Pierre Poilievre, quickly welcomed it.”
Despite these positive sentiments, Mckinnon cautioned against assuming that bilateral ties are fully repaired. “A big outstanding question is whether this trip leads to a mutually agreeable off-ramp from the allegations of Indian government interference in Canada, including involvement in the Nijjar murder, and India’s allegations about Khalistani activities in Canada,” he said.
Diplomatic efforts to strengthen relations have been underway. In the past month, India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar held a phone conversation with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. The two leaders discussed steps to broaden economic cooperation and advance common goals.
Ajay Bisaria, India’s former high commissioner to Canada, noted that Modi’s attendance at the G7 summit provides an opening to stabilize bilateral relations while also concentrating on economic and strategic matters. “It always presents a strategic opportunity for Modi to discuss the global commons like climate, trade, supply chains and the broader development agenda with the developed world,” Bisaria explained.
Beyond India-Canada issues, Modi may also use the summit platform to raise other pressing international matters. For example, Bisaria noted that Modi could urge a tougher global stance toward Pakistan, especially following a recent deadly assault on tourists in India-administered Kashmir. New Delhi has blamed Islamabad for backing the attackers, a charge that Pakistan has denied.
In Bisaria’s view, the summit is “a diplomatic opportunity to present India’s current concerns to key world leaders, while China and Pakistan are out of the room.” This absence could allow India to voice its positions without direct opposition from its regional adversaries.
In summary, Modi’s visit to Canada for the G7 summit arrives at a delicate time for bilateral relations. While underlying tensions remain, particularly concerning the Nijjar case and the Khalistan issue, the high-level diplomatic engagement signals potential progress. With growing trade, sizable diaspora connections, and shared democratic values, India and Canada have several incentives to mend ties. Whether Modi’s visit yields a lasting improvement in relations will depend on how both nations navigate their sensitive issues, particularly those that intersect domestic and international politics.