Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Calgary on Tuesday to attend the 51st G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, signaling a potential thaw in India-Canada ties following a year of diplomatic strain.
The visit marks PM Modi’s first to Canada since relations between the two countries were severely tested in 2023. Tensions escalated after Canada accused Indian agents of involvement in the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in British Columbia—a claim India categorically rejected. The standoff led to reciprocal expulsion of diplomats and a freeze in high-level engagements.
New Delhi has consistently raised concerns over the presence of pro-Khalistani extremist elements in Canada and urged Ottawa to take decisive action to curb anti-India activities on its soil.
PM Modi’s arrival coincides with high global attention on the G7 Summit, where former US President Donald Trump has announced he will leave early to address escalating tensions in the Middle East. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X: “President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer… but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State.”
Modi’s Canada visit is the third and final leg of a three-nation diplomatic tour that began in Cyprus and will conclude in Croatia. His historic visit to Cyprus was the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over two decades.
During the Cyprus leg, PM Modi was conferred the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III—the country’s highest honour for foreign leaders—by President Nikos Christodoulides. The two leaders held wide-ranging talks on trade, fintech, defence cooperation, maritime partnerships, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West), Tanmay Lal, emphasized Cyprus’s role as a gateway to Europe and the Mediterranean, adding that the visit came amid key global challenges and highlighted India’s deepening engagement with the European Union.
Lal recalled India’s long-standing support for Cypriot sovereignty and Cyprus’s continued endorsement of India’s bid for a permanent seat on a reformed UN Security Council.
As PM Modi joins leaders of the G7 nations—United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, and the European Union—on June 16-17, this marks his sixth consecutive appearance at the summit, reflecting India’s growing global stature and strategic alignment with key world powers.
His presence in Canada amid shifting diplomatic winds may signal a new chapter in Indo-Canadian relations—one marked by pragmatic engagement, shared democratic values, and potential economic synergy.
