Canadian PM Trudeau Sees Opportunity in Engaging with India Despite Strained Ties

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed optimism about fostering stronger ties with India, highlighting economic cooperation and shared democratic values as pivotal points of engagement. His remarks follow a brief interaction with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the recent G7 summit in Italy.

Trudeau emphasized the significance of economic relations with India, describing them as “really important economic ties” during an interview with Canadian media. He underscored the opportunity presented at international summits like the G7 to engage directly with diverse global leaders on a range of pressing issues.

“One of the very good things about the G7 summit is the chance to engage directly with a wide range of leaders, and certainly with India, there are massive people-to-people ties,” Trudeau stated.

Acknowledging common ground on various global challenges, Trudeau highlighted the alignment between Canada and India as democracies within the global community. He noted that with Modi’s recent re-election, there exists an opportunity to deepen cooperation on critical issues such as national security, rule of law, and ensuring the safety of Canadians.

“Now that he (Modi) is through his election, I think there is an opportunity for us to engage, including on some very serious issues around national security and keeping Canadians safe,” Trudeau commented, as reported by CBC News.

Trudeau also touched upon ongoing bilateral efforts, including the Nijjar murder case, indicating that collaboration between Canada and India continues to progress.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s statements come amidst somewhat strained relations between the two countries in recent years, reflecting a cautious optimism towards future engagements with India. His interaction with Modi at the G7 Summit marked Modi’s first international visit following his third consecutive term victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.