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    EYE ON INDIA                                                             JUNE 27, 2025     |  The Indian Eye                    8

             Modi-Carney Meeting Resets India-Canada

                      Ties, Marginalizes Khalistani Agenda

                With Prime Minister Modi’s landmark meeting with Canadian PM Mark Carney at the G7

              Summit, India-Canada relations appear to be back on track—marking a major diplomatic win

                                      for Modi and a clear blow to Khalistani extremist elements.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            the importance of this relationship,
                                                                                                                  grounded in “shared democratic val-
            New Delhi
                                                                                                                  ues, respect for the rule of law and
                  fter nearly a year of icy diplo-                                                                commitment to sovereignty and ter-
                  matic standoff, the dialogue                                                                    ritorial integrity.” In real terms, that
            Abetween India and Canada                                                                             means moving beyond the shadows
            has been formally revived—this time                                                                   of the Nijjar controversy and tack-
            at the highest level. In a meeting on                                                                 ling more constructive issues—like
            the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Ka-                                                                 cooperation in AI, green energy, and
            nanaskis, Canadian Prime Minister                                                                     trade.
            Mark Carney and Indian Prime Min-                                                                         Despite lingering tension in
            ister Narendra Modi signaled a stra-                                                                  certain Canadian domestic politi-
            tegic reset, with both nations agreeing                                                               cal quarters, Carney defended Mo-
            to reinstate High Commissioners and                                                                   di’s  presence  at  the  G7  Summit.
            initiate a new phase of cooperation.                                                                  He underscored India’s role as the
            For India, it’s a significant diplomatic                                                              world’s most populous nation and
            win. For the Khalistani movement, it’s                                                                fourth-largest economy, stating that
            a major setback.                                                                                      India’s voice is vital to global prob-
                The fallout between the two                                                                       lem-solving.
            countries had reached a nadir in        Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney receives Prime Minister Narendra Modi    While symbolic, the reinstate-
            2023, when then-Prime Minister                                                                        ment of High Commissioners marks
            Justin Trudeau alleged India’s in-                   at the G7 Summit (DPR PMO/ANI Photo)             a  concrete step  toward normalizing
            volvement in the killing of Hardeep                                                                   relations. It signals a willingness to
            Singh Nijjar,  a Khalistani separatist  ers  had  a  “frank  and  forward-look-  da,  and  planning  violence  in  India.  compartmentalize past grievances
            and NIA-designated terrorist. India  ing discussion” and “agreed to take   The  report  bluntly  states,  and build on mutual interests. How-
            had dismissed those allegations as  calibrated and constructive steps to   “Khalistani extremists continue to  ever, as Carney himself noted, this is
            “absurd” and “politically motivated,”  restore stability in the relationship.”  use Canada as a base for the promo-  only “a necessary first step.”
            and ties quickly spiraled as both sides   For Modi, the optics couldn’t  tion, fundraising or planning of vio-  The next challenge is institution-
            expelled diplomats and consular ser-  have been better. Welcomed at the  lence primarily in India.” For Indian  alizing law enforcement cooperation,
            vices suffered.                   G7 and praised by Carney for India’s  officials, it’s a long-overdue acknowl-  especially in light of ongoing judicial
                But with Carney now at the helm  role in global affairs, the visit has  edgment. For Khalistani elements,  processes related to the Nijjar case.
            in Ottawa, a pragmatic tone has  bolstered his image as a statesman  it’s a public indictment—and a blow  Both leaders have acknowledged the
            emerged.                          capable of recalibrating complex re-  to their credibility.         need for a “law enforcement-to-law
                Speaking at a press conference  lationships.                        Union Minister Hardeep Singh  enforcement” dialogue—possibly the
            at the conclusion of the G7 Summit,   The diplomatic reset has not  Puri was more direct. Hailing Modi’s  most sensitive but critical part of the
            Carney described the meeting with  gone unnoticed by Khalistani sup-  visit to Canada, he said it was “a hard  bilateral reboot.
            PM Modi as “foundational.” He em-  porters in Canada. In fact, it appears  slap” on extremist forces. He empha-  The timing also plays to Modi’s
            phasized the importance of “mutual  to have come as a direct rebuke.  sized that the Canadian government  advantage. Coming soon after his
            respect, sovereignty, and trust,” and  Defence analyst Sanjeev Srivastava  under Carney is now actively discuss-  re-election,  the  G7  invitation  and
            announced that both sides would  called the move a “constructive turn  ing  counter-terror cooperation with  subsequent diplomatic breakthrough
            soon appoint High Commissioners  of  events”  and  highlighted  how  the  India. “This formulation in itself is a  with Canada burnish his global lead-
            again. “We’re both committed to re-  return  of  High  Commissioners  sig-  rejection of those forces,” he said.  ership credentials. It also sends a
            building  this  relationship,”  Carney  nals a shift from the Trudeau-era le-  India and Canada share a deep  strong domestic message that India
            stated, acknowledging  that while  niency towards anti-India elements.  reservoir of people-to-people and  will neither be lectured nor isolated
            challenges remain, the will to resolve   Backing this change in tone is a  business  ties.  With  over  1.6  million  on the global stage.
            them is mutual.                   development from within Canada  Canadians of Indian origin and grow-    With CSIS acknowledging In-
                From New Delhi’s perspective,  itself. The Canadian Security Intel-  ing economic linkages in areas like  dia’s long-standing concerns, and
            this was a much-awaited and care-  ligence Service (CSIS) recently re-  technology, clean energy,  and edu-  both governments agreeing to move
            fully choreographed return to con-  leased  its  annual  report,  confirming  cation,  both  countries  stand  to  gain  forward, the message is clear: the
            structive diplomacy. India’s Ministry  what India has been saying for years:  from stable ties.       space  for  Khalistani  extremism  in
            of External Affairs (MEA) issued a  Khalistani extremists have used Ca-  According to the MEA, the  Canada is shrinking, and bilateral ties
            statement  confirming  that  the  lead-  nadian soil for fundraising, propagan-  Modi-Carney  meeting  reaffirmed  are finally poised to grow again.

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