Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the G7 summit is a testament to his pragmatic approach, navigating a diplomatic minefield laden with allegations of Indian government involvement in the Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder. The decision reflects a strategic focus on broader international cooperation.
Carney, while facing reporters’ questions, carefully avoided expressing a personal opinion on Modi’s potential role in Nijjar’s assassination. He emphasized the ongoing and “quite advanced” legal process in Canada as the reason for his silence, stressing the impropriety of public commentary on an active investigation. Four Indian nationals have been charged in connection with the murder, which severely strained diplomatic relations.
The G7 summit, set for mid-June in Kananaskis, Alberta, is a key international forum. Carney justified Modi’s invitation by underscoring India’s global economic and demographic clout, calling it the “fifth largest economy in the world” and the “most populous country,” and central to global supply chains. He explicitly stated the importance of discussing energy, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals with the Indian leader.
This move also aligns with Carney’s new government’s broader efforts to ease international tensions, including normalizing communication with China and resolving trade disputes with the US. However, critics like the World Sikh Organization argue that this pragmatic approach compromises Canadian values and sets a troubling precedent for how Canada handles foreign interference.
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