India under spotlight at Canada-hosted G7 outreach session as trade, tariffs and energy security overwhelm agenda

Canada played host to this year’s G7 summit, marking its seventh turn at the helm of the influential bloc. In addition to the heads of state from G7 member nations and the European Union, which also participates in the summit, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney extended invitations to several non-G7 leaders. Among them were Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who confirmed her attendance just days before the event following weeks of indecision, as well as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The high-level gathering was convened in Alberta, underscoring Canada’s renewed diplomatic posture under Carney’s leadership.

“As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the summit,” the Indian prime minister said.

The decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew scrutiny in both Ottawa and New Delhi, given the diplomatic chill that followed former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s explosive allegation in 2023 that India was behind the assassination of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil.

The World Sikh Organisation condemned the invitation as a “betrayal of Sikh Canadians”, while the Sikh Federation of Canada branded it “a grave insult”. Yet Prime Minister Mark Carney, who assumed office in March and is keen to steer Canada’s trade beyond its heavy reliance on the United States, stood firm.

For Carney, India’s status as the world’s fifth-largest economy and its central role in global supply chains made its presence at the G7 not only logical but necessary. New Delhi, for its part, responded to Trudeau’s departure by expressing hope for a reset in bilateral ties—this time anchored in “mutual trust and sensitivity”.

“In addition, bilaterally, we have now agreed, importantly, to continue law enforcement dialogue, so there’s been some progress on that, which recognises issues of accountability. I extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi in that context,” Carney told reporters in Ottawa.

In March, Carney also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the gathering. Leaders of Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa and South Korea were also expected to attend.