Cranking Up the Heat, Cooling Down the Strife: Canada and India Patch Things Up
Diplomatic rift between Canada and India has come to an end, leading to the resumption of ambassadorial exchanges. - Canada and India restore diplomatic relations - reinstate ambassadors after dispute resolution
Carney chatted up his Indian counterpart on the sidelines of the G7 summit nestled in the rugged Canadian Rockies. Canada's PM expressed eagerness that this chat would put the pieces back together, laying the foundation for resuming a friendship built on mutual respect, autonomy, and trust.
Modi acknowledged the importance of these democratic values. He stressed the significance of the relationship between India and Canada, calling it "vital in multiple aspects."
The diplomatic spat between the two nations heated up in June 2023, ignited by the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar - a Canadian citizen - in the parking lot of a temple in British Columbia. Nijjar, who pushed for an independent Sikh state in India, was on India's wanted list for alleged terrorism and conspiracy.
In September, the Canadian government kicked out an Indian diplomat, claiming this diplomat was linked to an assassination attempt on Canadian soil. The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that "severe allegations" pointed towards India's intelligence agency.
The claims sent shockwaves through the diplomatic circle. The Indian government waved them off as rubbish, denying any acts of violence in Canada, and even halted the processing of Canadian visa applications briefly.
Canada, home to the world's largest Sikh community outside northern India's Punjab, has been touched by violent independence struggles in the 80s and 90s. This tumultuous period saw thousands of casualties.
- Canada
- India
- Detente
- Mark Carney
- Narendra Modi
- Rocky Mountains
- International Tensions
Insights: The diplomatic dustup between Canada and India, centered around the murder of Sikh separatist activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, has been a thorny issue between the two nations. Nijjar was slain in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023, and Canadian authorities, including former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the RCMP, have stated there is evidence linking agents of the Indian government to Nijjar's murder as well as to other crimes in Canada such as extortion, coercion, and homicide[1][3].
This led to Canada expelling six Indian diplomats in late 2024, including the Indian high commissioner, accusing them of refusing to cooperate with the police investigation into the allegations. India retaliated by expelling the acting Canadian high commissioner and five other Canadian diplomats from New Delhi, resulting in a diplomatic standoff with both countries' key envoy positions remaining vacant for about 20 months[1][3].
However, recent developments suggest a thaw in the icy relations. At the G7 Summit in June 2025, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met and agreed to revive full diplomatic ties. Both leaders underscored the importance of the bilateral relationship and committed to joint efforts against "transnational repression and terrorism," indicating a willingness to move beyond the crisis[1][2][3][5].
The agreement includes the reappointment of high commissioners and the resumption of regular diplomatic services, which Canada’s Prime Minister Carney termed as "essential" in rebuilding the relationship with India[2][4][5].
- In an attempt to mend their strained relationship, Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, emphasized the importance of cooperation during his discussions with India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, at the G7 Summit, expressing hopes that it would pave the way for resuming a friendship rooted in shared democratic values, mutual respect, autonomy, and trust.
- Recognizing the significance of the relationship between India and Canada, Narendra Modi affirmed that the partnership is vital in multiple aspects, implying his intention to collaborate more closely to resolve the recent diplomatic spat related to allegations of foreign interference in domestic affairs.
