June 6 (Punjab Khabarnama) : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau extended his government’s congratulations to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on his return as PM for a third term and stated Ottawa stood ready to advance the relationship, though that was anchored to “rule of law”.
In a statement released by the Canadian prime minister’s office (PMO) on Wednesday, Trudeau said, “The Government of Canada congratulates the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on his re-election.”
“The scale and scope of the democratic process in India is a significant achievement. Over a period of weeks, hundreds of millions of Indian citizens cast their votes, the most of any nation on Earth,” he added.
“As bilateral and Indo-Pacific partners, Canada stands ready to work together to advance the relationship between our peoples – anchored to human rights, diversity, and the rule of law,” Trudeau noted, a possible allusion to the element in the ties which have created tumult since last fall, the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18, 2023.
The statement on June 5 differed from that issued on May 23, 2019, when Trudeau extended his personal congratulations as well to Modi. At the time, he added, “I look forward to continuing to work with Prime Minister Modi to improve the lives of Canadians and Indians alike through education and innovation, investing in trade and investment, and fighting climate change.”
That personal touch was missing in the latest message, as relations between India and Canada have cratered since Trudeau stated in the House of Commons on September 18 last year there were “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents and Nijjar’s murder. While Canadian law enforcement has arrested four Indian nationals in connection with the killing, investigators are continuing to probe the India angle.
The two PMs are likely to encounter each other at the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy next week. However, there is no indication of a formal bilateral meeting between them.
Trudeau has already stated his mission at the summit will include highlighting “the importance of defending democracy and democratic values, including by countering foreign interference and mis- and disinformation.”
In a report released to the public this week, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSCIOP) had stated that India has “emerged as the second-most significant foreign interference threat to Canada’s democratic institutions and processes” displacing Russia and after China.