Canadian Sikhs Outraged Over Modi’s G7 Invitation Amid Alleged Threats

Members of Canada’s Sikh community are expressing deep frustration after Prime Minister Mark Carney invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, despite ongoing tensions over alleged threats to Sikh activists in Canada.

Modi, attending as a guest despite India not being a G7 member, will make his first visit to Canada in ten years. The invitation comes less than a year after Canada accused the Indian government of involvement in the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023—a claim New Delhi has strongly denied.

Sikh activists, including Moninder Singh, a close friend of Nijjar, said the invitation was offensive, particularly given that multiple members of their community have been warned by Canadian police about credible threats to their lives. Singh, who lives in British Columbia, had to leave his home for months last year for his family’s safety. “On a personal and community level, it was deeply insulting,” he said, suggesting Ottawa had prioritized economic ties over the safety of Canadian Sikhs.

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The Royal Canadian Mounted Police previously acknowledged that more than a dozen Sikh individuals in Canada have received official threat warnings, allegedly linked to their advocacy for a Sikh homeland.

Under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada had expelled six Indian diplomats, alleging their involvement in Nijjar’s murder and a wider campaign targeting Indian dissidents. India responded by expelling six Canadian diplomats, dismissing the claims as politically motivated and lacking evidence directly implicating Modi.

Despite public backlash, Carney defended the decision, citing India’s strategic role in global trade and supply chains. Indian and Canadian officials confirmed that law enforcement agencies from both countries would maintain dialogue on relevant issues.

Some Canadian politicians and human rights activists have criticized the move as prioritizing economic interests over civil liberties. However, political analyst Sanjay Ruparelia described the decision as pragmatic, stating that Carney’s leadership style has been defined by “realpolitik” and practical diplomacy.