India-Canada Tensions Resurface as Modi Seeks Action on Khalistani Extradition at G7 Summit
| 2025-06-09
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he invited Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit after consulting with fellow G7 nations.
At the G7 Summit in Canada, Indian PM Narendra Modi is expected to press Canadian PM Mark Carney to act on extradition requests of 26 Khalistani fugitives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the G7 Summit outreach sessions in Kananaskis, Alberta, from 15 to 17 June, where he is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. According to Indian government sources, Modi plans to raise the issue of pending extradition requests for 26 individuals accused of terrorism and organised crime, many of whom are alleged to be associated with Khalistani separatist groups operating from Canadian soil.
Among those named are Gurjeet Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Lakhbir Singh Landa and Arshdeep Singh Gill—individuals identified by Indian authorities as key figures in promoting violent secessionist agendas from abroad. New Delhi has long accused Canada of harbouring extremist elements and allowing them to mobilise support for Khalistan, a proposed independent Sikh state.
The meeting comes at a delicate moment in India-Canada relations, which have remained strained since June 2023, following the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and wanted terrorist in India, outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. Nijjar was associated with the banned Khalistan Tiger Force and had been living in Canada for years after fleeing India.
In September 2023, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged in Parliament that Indian government agents may have played a role in Nijjar’s assassination. The Indian government firmly denied the claim, criticising it as “absurd and motivated,” and relations between the two nations swiftly deteriorated. Both countries expelled senior diplomats and froze intelligence cooperation.
Carney, who succeeded Trudeau following a general election in April 2025, extended an invitation to Modi to participate in the G7 Summit, a move that attracted domestic criticism in Canada. Responding to the backlash, Carney defended his decision by highlighting India’s global economic role and strategic importance.
“India is the fifth-largest economy and central to a number of global supply chains. It makes sense to have India at the table,” Carney told reporters on Friday. He also noted that the invitation was extended in consultation with other G7 member states and that discussions with India would include “energy, security, the digital future and infrastructure in the developing world.”
On the Nijjar case, Carney maintained that he could not comment directly due to ongoing legal proceedings. Canadian authorities have charged four Indian nationals living in Canada in connection with Nijjar’s death. Carney stated, “We have now agreed importantly to continued law enforcement dialogue. There has been some progress on that, recognising issues of accountability.”
Modi, in a social media post following his conversation with Carney, expressed optimism about the future of bilateral ties. “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,” he said.
Despite the diplomatic overtures, Indian officials are expected to insist that meaningful progress in bilateral cooperation must include concrete action on long-pending extradition and arrest requests. Sources in New Delhi confirmed that Modi would reiterate India’s willingness to cooperate with Canadian investigators if evidence is presented, but would also press Ottawa to take steps against individuals using Canadian territory to promote separatist violence.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police had previously accused Indian agents of involvement in organised criminal activity in Canada. In response, India withdrew its High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and five other diplomats after Ottawa declined to guarantee their diplomatic immunity. Canada also saw the expulsion of six of its diplomats from India.
While relations remain tense, both governments have taken cautious steps to revive diplomatic engagement. Officials have resumed contact between security agencies and are reportedly considering the appointment of new envoys to each other's capitals.
Context:
The extradition of Khalistani separatists remains a long-standing point of friction between India and several Western nations, particularly Canada and the United Kingdom, where pro-Khalistan movements have found support among sections of the Sikh diaspora.
India has consistently argued that a permissive environment for extremism abroad threatens its national security and undermines bilateral relations. The G7 Summit may serve as a key moment to reset the tone of India-Canada relations, especially as both governments face international pressure to improve cooperation on transnational security and uphold rule-of-law processes.
Carney’s administration is under pressure from domestic critics, including Canada’s New Democratic Party, which called the invitation to Modi “profoundly troubling.” Yet the new Canadian leader appears committed to balancing domestic sensitivities with broader geopolitical priorities.
As the summit approaches, all eyes will be on how the two leaders navigate these diplomatic challenges and whether their discussions pave the way for a thaw in a relationship marked by mutual distrust in recent years.
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