Lagatar24 Desk
Vientiane: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a brief, unofficial discussion on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Laos. However, the conversation did not yield any significant progress towards mending the strained relations between the two nations, according to sources.
The diplomatic rift between India and Canada has been ongoing since the June 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen classified as a Khalistani terrorist by India. Nijjar was killed outside a Gurudwara in Surrey, Canada, and Trudeau had subsequently accused India of involvement in the incident, citing “credible proof.” India has strongly denied these allegations, asserting that Canada has failed to address extremist anti-India elements operating within its borders.
Sources told ANI that Indian officials had been hoping for firm assurances from the Canadian government regarding its stance on Khalistani activities and extremism. “There was no substantive discussion between PM Modi and Prime Minister Trudeau in Vientiane,” a government source said, adding that India’s primary concern remains Canada’s failure to curb anti-India activities on its soil.
The source further elaborated that India continues to expect Canada to take concrete action against those advocating violence, extremism, and terrorism against India. Without such steps, the diplomatic relationship is likely to remain strained.
Trudeau, speaking about his brief encounter with Modi, emphasized the need to uphold the rule of law. “I emphasized that there is work that we need to do… the safety of Canadians and upholding the rule of law is one of the fundamental responsibilities of any Canadian government, and that’s what I’ll stay focused on,” he told CBC News.
Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly also acknowledged the ongoing tensions, describing the relationship with India as “tense” and “very difficult.” She added that there remains a threat of further violence like Nijjar’s assassination on Canadian soil.
This is the second time this year that PM Modi and Trudeau have attended the same summit without making progress on the diplomatic front. They were both present at the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy, in June, but discussions over the unresolved issues remained limited.
