Canadian Prime Minister Mark J. Carney has defended his decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit, scheduled to be held in Kananaskis, Alberta, from June 15-17, 2025. Carney emphasized that India's participation is crucial, citing its status as the world's fifth-largest economy and most populous nation, and its central role in global supply chains, particularly for energy security, critical minerals, and infrastructure partnerships.

According to Carney, India's presence at the summit is essential for discussions on pressing global priorities, including artificial intelligence, climate action, digital development, and fostering cooperation with emerging economies. He also hinted that the decision to invite India was supported by other G7 member states, stating, "In my capacity as G7 chair, and in consultation with others...it makes sense to include India."

Vina Nadjibulla, Vice President of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, echoed this sentiment, noting that other G6 members are actively seeking to deepen their strategic, defence, technology, and economic ties with India. She stressed that Canada's engagement with India is vital for its relevance on the world stage, asserting that "diplomacy is not a gift to our friends...It’s a necessary tool to be able to advance our interests and defend our values."

Prime Minister Modi accepted the invitation, highlighting the "deep people-to-people ties" between the two "vibrant democracies" and expressing a commitment to working together with "renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests." This invitation comes amidst a period of significantly strained India-Canada relations.

Tensions between the two nations escalated sharply following the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and pro-Khalistan activist, outside a gurdwara in Vancouver in June 2023. Canadian authorities, under then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accused Indian government agents of involvement, a charge India has consistently and vehemently denied. This led to a severe diplomatic crisis, including the reciprocal expulsion of senior diplomats. Current Prime Minister Carney refrained from commenting on any potential links of PM Modi to Nijjar's murder, citing the ongoing legal process in Canada, where four Indian nationals have been arrested and charged.

Despite the strained relations, Carney indicated some positive developments, stating, "Bilaterally we have now agreed importantly to continued law enforcement to law enforcement dialogue so there's been some progress on that which recognises issues of accountability." However, the invitation has drawn criticism from Sikh organizations in Canada, such as the World Sikh Organization, whose president, Dinesh Singh, described it as a "betrayal, not just of our community, but core Canadian values," accusing Ottawa of prioritizing geopolitical strategy over community concerns.

India is not the sole non-G7 country invited to the 2025 summit; invitations have also been extended to leaders from South Africa, Australia, Ukraine, and Mexico. For Prime Minister Carney and other G7 leaders, engaging India appears to be a strategic imperative, outweighing the diplomatic discomfort caused by ongoing bilateral issues. The G7 summit will test whether this engagement can help ease tensions or if it will further highlight existing divisions, but for now, a pragmatic approach seems to have been adopted by both Ottawa and New Delhi.