PM Modi Mark Carney ensure to rekindle diplomatic ties after Hardeep Nijjar’s ruckus
Canada PM Mark Carney and India PM Modi consented to refurbish diplomatic bond by returning ambassadors following a spat over Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination. They aim to enhance cooperation in varied sectors, including energy security and combating terrorism.
Prime Modi and Canada’s PM Mark Carney shook hands amidst a meeting at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta.
PM Mark Carney, who assumed office in March, extended an invitation to PM Modi to join him in the Canadian Rockies as a guest at the Group of Seven (G7) summit.
In a significant move, both agreed to return ambassadors to each other’s capitals, turning the page on a bitter spat over Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination.
The two leaders agreed that the India and Canada would appoint new high commissioners, as ambassadors are known between Commonwealth nations and made the decision “with a view to returning to regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries”, according to the Canadian prime minister’s office.
Last year, Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, publicly accused India of being involved in the assassination of a Sikh separatist Nijjar on Canadian soil and expelled the Indian ambassador, prompting a strong retaliatory response from India. Nijjar advocated for an independent Sikh state called Khalistan and was shot dead outside a gurdwara in British Columbia in 2023.
The dispute had significantly disrupted diplomatic relations between the two nations, which shared $9 billion in trade in 2023 and maintain strong cultural connections through Canada’s large Indian diaspora. Canada was forced to halt in-person services at all its diplomatic missions in India, except for the embassy in New Delhi.
While congratulating Carney on guiding his Liberal Party to an election victory, Modi stated, “he is confident that together…India and Canada will work together to make progress in many areas.”
It was a “great honour” to welcome Modi to the G7 summit, Carney mentioned but made a passing allusion to the domestically sensitive spat with a reference to “transnational repression”. He said he wishes to work with India on “the issues that we look to tackle together, from energy security… the future of artificial intelligence, to the fight that we have against transnational repression and against terrorism”.
Carney said that he felt the meeting was important, but describes it as foundational, a necessary first step: an exchange of views-frank, open exchange of views around law enforcement and transnational repression, as two examples-an agreement to provide the necessary foundations to begin rebuilding a relationship based on mutual respect, sovereignty, and trust. They will move to appoint High Commissioners again.
News Edit KV Raman
