Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday his plans to attend the upcoming G7 summit. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney extended the invitation, marking a significant diplomatic development.

Understanding the G7 Summit

The G7 summit is a crucial gathering of world leaders. It includes leaders from:

• France
• Britain
• Canada
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
• United States

This year, the summit will take place in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, from June 15 to 17.

Modi’s Statement

Modi expressed his thoughts on social media. He stated, “India and Canada are vibrant democracies with deep people-to-people ties. We will work together with renewed energy, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. I look forward to our meeting at the summit.”

Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 6, 2025

Overcoming Diplomatic Tensions

There were reports suggesting Modi might skip the summit due to tensions between India and Canada. However, Carney’s invitation changed the course.

The Congress party criticized the Modi government. They claimed that India not being invited to the G7 summit was a major diplomatic failure. Party leader Jairam Ramesh stated that Indian prime ministers had regularly attended the summit in the past.

Historical Context

Ramesh mentioned, “Before 2014, the G7 was actually the G8 and included Russia. Dr. Manmohan Singh would be invited to these summits, where his voice was heard.”

He added, “For the first time in six years, India will not be at the Canada summit. Whatever spin may be given, this is another big diplomatic failure.”

India-Canada Relations

Relations between India and Canada have been strained since September 2023. This strain began when former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informed his country’s parliament about credible allegations. These allegations linked agents of the Indian government to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver.

Nijjar supported Khalistan, an independent Sikh nation. He was the head of the Khalistan Tiger Force, which India designates as a terrorist outfit. India rejected Trudeau’s allegations as “absurd and motivated.”

Carney’s Invitation and Criticism

After inviting Modi, Carney faced criticism in Canada. However, he defended his decision. He emphasized the importance of inviting the Indian prime minister. Carney noted that India is the fifth-largest economy in the world. It is also the most populous country and central to global supply chains.

Carney was elected as Canada’s prime minister in March. He replaced Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January.

During his campaign, Carney stated his government would look to diversify Canada’s trading relationships with like-minded countries. He also mentioned opportunities to rebuild the relationship with India.