By David Ljunggren and Shilpa Jamkhandikar
KANANASKIS, Alberta (Reuters) -The leaders of India and Canada held on Tuesday what they called a productive first bilateral meeting since then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused New Delhi in 2023 of involvement in the killing of a Canadian Sikh separatist.
Relations have been poor for almost two years but there was no sign of tension when Prime Minister Mark Carney warmly welcomed Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to the Group of Seven summit he is chairing in Alberta.
Both men issued statements saying the talks had gone well. Carney’s office said they agreed to appoint new envoys to replace the ones both nations had withdrawn as the crisis grew.
India denied Canada’s allegations of involvement in the murder, and both nations are looking to shore up global partnerships as trade tensions and wars are recasting long-standing alliances.
Carney – who says he invited India, which is not a G7 member, due to its importance in global supply chains – told Modi it was “my great honor to have you here.”
The two men “reaffirmed the importance of Canada-India ties, based upon mutual respect, the rule of law, and a commitment to the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Carney’s office said in a statement.
Carney did not mention the furor sparked when Trudeau accused India’s government of involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.
Modi’s government has denied involvement in the killing and accused Canada of providing a safe haven for Sikh separatists.
“Had an excellent meeting … India and Canada are connected by a strong belief in democracy, freedom and rule of law,” Modi said on X during his first visit to Canada in a decade.
India is Canada’s top source of temporary foreign workers and international students, as well as an important market.
Greg Cherewyk, president of the Pulse Canada industry group, said Canadian farmers hope to export more agricultural products to the world’s most populous nation, including lentils.
Canada’s Sikh community, the largest outside the Indian state of Punjab, has voiced outrage over Modi’s visit, saying Canada should have set conditions before inviting him. A few dozen Sikh protesters in downtown Calgary tore apart Indian flags in protest on Tuesday.
Last year, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, linking them to Nijjar’s murder and alleging a broader government effort to target Indian dissidents in Canada. Four men have been charged with his murder.
(Additional reporting by Matt McKnight and Evan Garcia; Writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Rod Nickel)
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