TRENTON, Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed his Indian counterpart to the G7 summit Tuesday, despite protests over the murder of a Canadian Sikh separatist in Canada.
Narendra Modi’s invitation by Carney as chair of the G7 was protested Monday by hundreds in nearby Calgary, the city closest to the summit in the resort town of Kananaskis, but the number dropped to about 50 on Tuesday.
Carney said it was ridiculous to exclude the head of a country that had one of the largest economies in the world.
The two men met on the sidelines of the G7 as Modi was an invited guest, not a G7 member.
‘It is my great honor to have you here,” Carney told Modi, shaking hands and smiling.
Neither of them mentioned the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil in 2023.
Then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there was enough evidence to suggest the murder was sanctioned by the Indian government. India denied the allegation.
Nijjar was an ardent supporter of the Khalistan movement, which advocates for the creation of an independent Sikh homeland in India's Punjab region. India considered him a terrorist.
Two years later, both countries realize the importance of closer ties as trade wars rip apart longstanding alliances.
The two were particularly interested in partnerships in energy security, artificial intelligence and the fight against terrorism and covert interference in other countries’ business.
In the days leading up to the summit, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service said India was still a foreign interference threat to Canada.
“I’m sure, under your leadership, we will be able to work together in a positive way,” said Modi.
