G7 Summit: Modi holds talks with Canada’s Carney, wants to visit Canada by year-end, sign trade deal soon

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France on June 16, 2026. | Photo credit: AP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian, France. The discussions covered trade, economy, energy, technology and people-to-people relations, according to Mr. Modi. Ahead of the meeting, Mr. Modi said he hoped to accept Mr. Carney’s invitation to visit Canada before the end of the year and to finalize the India-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by then.

“This is our fourth meeting in less than a year, which indicates our commitment to strong India-Canada ties. We reviewed the entire gamut of relations between our nations, particularly the area covered since our last meeting,” Mr. Modi said at the X after the bilateral talks. The next three meetings between the two men took place in June last year at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, and then at the G20 summit in Johannesburg in November.

While Indo-Canadian discussions on national security and foreign interference in Canada continued under Mr. Carney, his visit to India in early 2026 completed the restoration of relations between Ottawa and New Delhi that began when Mr. Carney took over from former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“We have openly exchanged views on bilateral relations and international developments and as friendly countries we are making significant progress,” Mr Modi told Mr Carney on Tuesday, underscoring India’s desire for technological advancement. Canada could be a major partner in energy security, Mr. Modi said. Canada is one of the largest energy exporters in the world – shipping oil, natural gas, petroleum products and uranium abroad. This March, New Delhi and Ottawa decided to advance their energy security partnership, which saw Canada’s Cameco and India’s Ministry of Atomic Energy sign a CAD 2.6 billion long-term (2027-2035) uranium supply commercial agreement.

In 2024, India was accused by Canadian authorities of orchestrating acts of violence and extortion in Canada, with Mr. Trudeau alleging that Indian agents were behind the killing of a pro-Khalistan individual, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in British Columbia three years earlier. New Delhi has accused the Canadian government of being soft on anti-Indian extremism, including failing to protect its diplomatic personnel and property.

The two countries have been negotiating a free trade agreement, with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visiting Canada last month with a delegation of more than 100 industry representatives. Faced with U.S. tariffs and numerous jokes about annexation from U.S. President Donald Trump, Mr. Carney has sought to diversify Canada’s strategic and economic partnerships, deepening ties with China, India, Australia and Europe.

Published – 16 Jun 2026 23:34 IST