G7 summit: PM Modi arrives in Canada; what’s on agenda, why his visit matters? | India News
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kananaskis, Canada, on Tuesday to attend the 51st G7 Summit. This is PM Modi’s first visit to Canada in ten years. The discussions with world leaders at the summit will focus on major global topics like energy security, technology and innovation. PM Modi reached Canada from Cyprus. He is on a three-nation tour and was invited to the summit by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The G7 meeting, scheduled for June 16-17, is the sixth consecutive time PM Modi is participating in the summit.
What’s on the agenda?
During his 23-hour stay, PM Modi will speak at the G7 Outreach Session on Tuesday. He will also hold several bilateral meetings, including with Canadian PM Carney, before leaving for Croatia on Tuesday evening. The ministry of external affairs had earlier said, “At the Summit, the Prime Minister will exchange views with leaders of G-7 countries, other invited outreach countries and Heads of International Organisations on crucial global issues, including energy security, technology and innovation, particularly the AI-energy nexus and Quantum-related issues.” The summit comes a little over a month after India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation followed the April 22 Pahalgam attacks.
Why PM Modi’s visit matters?
Canadian PM Carney’s invitation to PM Modi is being seen as an indication that Canada’s new government wants to improve relations with India. Ties between the two countries had worsened after the killing of pro-Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023. In October last year, India withdrew its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Canada linked them to the Nijjar case. India also expelled Canadian diplomats. India had said the Justin Trudeau government was letting pro-Khalistani groups operate from Canada. Carney became prime minister in March this year after Trudeau stepped down. He is an economist and entered politics recently. After Trudeau’s exit, India said it hoped to rebuild relations with Canada based on “mutual trust and sensitivity.” In recent months, security officials from both countries resumed contact. There have also been talks about appointing new high commissioners. The ministry of external affairs said last week that India sees the upcoming meeting between PM Modi and Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit as a chance to exchange views and “explore pathways” to reset ties. During PM Modi’s previous visit to Canada in 2015, the two countries upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership. Canada has a large Indian diaspora. About 4.5 per cent of Canada’s population is of Indian origin, including around 1.8 million people of Indian descent. The Sikh population is around 770,000. Additionally, nearly 1 million Non-Resident Indians (NRI) live in Canada as students, skilled professionals, or temporary workers. Indian students have been the largest group of international students in Canada. In 2022, they made up 41 per cent of the international student population. However, Canada’s recent immigration policies have affected both Indian students’ prospects and the finances of Canadian universities.
