Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, almost a year after Trudeau accused India of involvement in the death of a Canadian Khalistani separatist.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC News) reported on Friday that Trudeau described the meeting as a “brief exchange.” The two leaders met during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, held on Thursday.
"I emphasized that there is work we need to do," Trudeau was quoted as saying by CBC News. "I won't go into details about what we talked about, but what I've said many times is that 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,” Trudeau stated at a press conference in Vientiane.
Ties between India and Canada have been strained since Trudeau's allegations in September of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18, 2023. India designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020 and has strongly rejected Trudeau's allegations as “absurd” and “motivated.”
India contends that the primary issue between the two countries is Canada providing space for pro-Khalistan elements operating from its soil with impunity. “We are seeing troubling patterns of violence affecting Indo-Canadians across the country over the past several months, and this is an issue that I can assure you we will continue to be very, very seized with,” Trudeau remarked.
Trudeau maintained his stance regarding the allegations, stating that national security agencies and law enforcement “continue to be deeply engaged on this issue.” His statement follows comments from Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, who, during a public inquiry into foreign interference, described relations with India as “tense” and “very difficult” while warning of the threat of more killings like Nijjar's on Canadian soil. Joly noted that she has been urging India to participate in the Canadian police investigation into Nijjar's death, but so far, that hasn't happened.
Modi and Trudeau last met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy in June, marking their first meeting since Canada raised allegations concerning Nijjar's death. Modi shared a photo on social media of the two leaders shaking hands, with a caption saying, “Met Canadian PM Justin Trudeau at the G7 Summit.” The following day, Trudeau affirmed a commitment to work together with India to address some “very important issues.”
