'Ties can't be repaired unless...': India dismisses Canadian PM Trudeau's remarks on meeting PM Modi in Laos

India has firmly denied claims made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that the "safety of Canadians" was discussed when he briefly met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the ASEAN Summit in Laos. According to Indian government sources, the two leaders only exchanged greetings when they encountered each other in Vientiane, and no substantive discussions took place. This comes after the Canadian PM’s statements suggesting that a conversation on Canadian safety had occurred.

Speaking to NDTV, Indian officials clarified that there was no significant dialogue between the two leaders. They further reiterated India's stance on the growing Khalistani activities in Canada. According to the Indian Foreign Ministry, India expects Canada to prevent anti-India activities on its soil, especially those linked to Khalistani extremism, which India views as promoting violence, extremism, and terrorism. Indian officials also expressed concerns about the increasing connections between extremist forces, organized crime, drug trafficking, and human trafficking in Canada. They warned that these issues should be a concern for the Canadian government as well.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported that Trudeau referred to the interaction as a "brief exchange." He emphasized that there are ongoing issues that need attention, though he declined to go into detail about what was discussed. Trudeau reaffirmed that ensuring the safety of Canadians and upholding the rule of law is a primary responsibility of the Canadian government.

This brief interaction between Modi and Trudeau comes nearly a year after Trudeau accused India of being involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Nijjar, who had been living in Canada and had received Canadian citizenship. Nijjar, who was designated as a terrorist by India in 2020, was killed outside a gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, in June 2023. India has dismissed these allegations as "absurd" and politically motivated.

India has made it clear that while it values its relationship with Canada, improving ties will depend on Canada taking firm and verifiable action against those engaged in anti-India activities. India expressed frustration with individuals and groups in Canada that promote hate, communal disharmony, and violence both in India and within Canadian society. Relations between the two nations have deteriorated since September 2023, when Trudeau first suggested Indian involvement in Nijjar’s death, a claim India continues to reject.

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