OTTAWA — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the upcoming G7 summit in Canada, marking the first time in six years that India is absent from the global forum—largely due to the fact that Ottawa has not extended a formal invitation. Indian media reports confirm that Modi has yet to receive an invite from the Canadian government, signaling the ongoing diplomatic freeze between the two nations.
Set to take place from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, the G7 summit comes at a time of strained relations between the two countries. Tensions began escalating after Canada publicly accused Indian government operatives of involvement in the June 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh leader and vocal supporter of the Khalistan separatist movement. In response, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, including the country’s top envoy.
The diplomatic fallout deepened in late 2024 when Canadian officials named Indian Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah in an alleged campaign to target Sikh separatists abroad. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison told a parliamentary committee that he personally disclosed Shah’s alleged involvement to a major U.S. newspaper, significantly escalating the international dimension of the controversy.
India has participated in G7 summits as a special invitee since 2019. Modi’s expected absence this year signals a sharp shift in bilateral ties and a break from recent diplomatic tradition.
With no invitation extended and tensions still simmering, Modi’s non-attendance underscores the growing divide between Ottawa and New Delhi—at a time when both countries are seeking global partnerships amid complex geopolitical shifts.