New Delhi, India: Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, engaged in discussions about the India-Canada relationship across various sectors during their meeting on the sidelines of the 18th Group of 20 Summit (G20 Summit) held in Delhi, India.
Following the conclusion of the G-20 Summit meeting, PM Trudeau addressed a press conference in Delhi. During the conference, he responded to questions about Khalistan extremism, emphasizing Canada’s commitment to defending freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, and freedom of peaceful protest. He underscored the importance of preventing violence and countering hatred.
Regarding Khalistan extremism and “foreign interference,” PM Trudeau stressed the need to differentiate the actions of a few individuals from the entire community or Canada. He also highlighted the significance of upholding the rule of law and discussed concerns related to foreign interference.
PM Trudeau acknowledged India’s exceptional importance in the global economy and emphasized its significance as a crucial partner to Canada.
The relationship between India and Canada has faced challenges in recent months due to the presence of pro-Khalistan separatist groups in Canada. In a notable development just before the G20 Summit, Canada proposed pausing the ongoing free trade talks with India.
Tensions escalated following attacks on India’s embassies and consulates worldwide by pro-Khalistan separatist ratist groups. These incidents were triggered by a nationwide manhunt for pro-Khalistan preacher and separatist Amritpal Singh. Demonstrations outside the High Commission of India in Ottawa were deemed “threatening” by India’s ambassador to Canada, and investigations were conducted into the use of smoke grenades during these demonstrations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the G20 Summit, where they discussed a wide range of India-Canada ties across various sectors. The diplomatic efforts and discussions reflect the significance of the relationship between the two nations on the global stage.
However, It’s noteworthy that Mr Trudeau is accused of bringing ‘martial law‘ to Canada by invoking emergency powers to crack down on Freedom Convoy and freeze protesters’ amid truck protest in February.
