'India central to key supply chains; must be part of G7', Canadian PM Carney on inviting PM Modi

Ottawa: Arguing in favour of India’s attendance at the upcoming G7 summit, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said that India is the fifth largest economy in the world and it is central to a number of critical global supply chains, adding that India’s leadership must be part of discussions at the summit.

Carney’s comments came after some of his political opponents in Canada criticised him for inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in view of a probe into allegations of Indian links to the killing of a Khalistani separatist in 2023. PM Modi accepted Carney’s invitation to attend the G7 summit during a phone conversation on Friday.

Canada is hosting the G7 summit in the Alberta province from June 15 to 17 in its capacity as the current chair of the grouping.

Carney said that G7 countries will hold discussions on important issues, including security and energy, in their upcoming summit, adding that India’s presence at the intergovernmental political and economic forum is essential.

“Let’s put the two aspects in context- first is, we are in the role-Canada’s in the role of the G7 chair and in those discussions as agreed with our G7 colleagues, include important discussions on energy, security, on digital future, critical minerals amongst others and partnerships actually in building infrastructure in the emerging and developing world,” he said.

Carney said that India is central to a number of supply chains, which makes its presence pertinent at the G7 chair consultation.

“There are certain countries that should be at the table for those discussions, and in my capacity as G7 chair, I will consult with some others to make those determinations. India is the fifth largest economy in

the world, effectively the most populous country in the world, central to a number of those supply chains at the heart of a number of those supply chains, so it makes sense,” he said.

Carney said that India and Canada are acting on law enforcement, and PM Modi has accepted his invitation.

To a specific question on the case of killing of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, Carney told reporters that it is not appropriate for him to comment as the legal process in the case is underway.

The Canadian prime minister said the G7 summit will deliberate on a range of key issues including energy security, digital future, critical minerals and on partnerships in building infrastructure in the emerging and developing world.Carney suggested that he extended the invitation to Modi after talking to other G7 member countries.

Canada’s NDP party slammed Carney for extending the invitation to Modi. “This decision is profoundly troubling,” it said.

The India-Canada relations hit rock bottom following then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in 2023 of a potential Indian link to the killing of Nijjar.

In October last year, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case. India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.

However, Liberal Party leader Carney’s victory in the parliamentary election in April raised hopes for reset of the relationship. In the last few months, the security officials of India and Canada resumed contacts and both sides were looking at the possibility of appointing new high commissioners.

India had accused Trudeau’s government of allowing pro-Khalistani elements to operate from Canadian soil. After Trudeau’s exit, New Delhi said it hoped to rebuild ties with Canada based on “mutual trust and sensitivity”.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at PM Modi on Saturday, describing him as “Swayam Udghoshit Vishwaguru”, and asked whether during his meetings at the G7 Summit, he would update his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, on India being the third-largest economy.

“On May 24th, 2025, while addressing the media following the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by the PM, the CEO of the NITI Aayog had dramatically announced that while he was speaking India had crossed Japan to become the world’s third largest economy.

“Now the Canadian PM -- a distinguished professional economist who has been the Governor of the Central Bank of Bank of Canada as well as of the Bank of England -- says that India is the fifth largest economy in the world,” Ramesh said in a post on X.