Justin Trudeau, Canada’s Prime Minister, expressed readiness to collaborate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration in his congratulatory statement on X, issued Thursday morning.
The Canadian PM’s remarks followed closely on the heels of a recent report by a prominent Canadian parliamentary panel, which identified India as the second-largest foreign challenge to the nation’s democracy, trailing only behind China.
Justin Trudeau, who has been spearheading Canada’s tirade against India over the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year, said the country is ready to work with the Modi government to advance relations “anchored to human rights, diversity, and the rule of law”.
“Congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his electoral victory. Canada stands ready to work with its government to advance the relationship between our nations’ peoples—anchored to human rights, diversity, and the rule of law,” his office quoted him as saying.
“Congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his electoral victory. Canada stands ready to work with his government to advance the relationship between our nations’ peoples—anchored to human rights, diversity, and the rule of law.” – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
— CanadianPM (@CanadianPM) June 5, 2024
Canada and India are embroiled in a diplomatic dispute following Canada’s accusation of Indian agents plotting to assassinate Nijjar within its borders. New Delhi dismissed the allegation as ludicrous and unfounded.
In India’s recent general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the largest single party, securing 240 seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament. This marked a notable decrease from the 303 seats it won in 2019. With 32 seats short of a simple majority, the BJP will rely on its National Democratic Alliance partners. Modi is expected to be sworn in on June 8.
In unrelated news, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was fatally shot outside a Gurdwara in Canada’s Surrey last year.
Justin Trudeau, referencing a report, affirmed his government’s commitment to addressing foreign interference.
The report was submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office in May but tabled in Parliament, with redactions, this week. It described China as “clearly the most prolific actor” in the context of foreign interference in Canadian democracy.
The report added that India has “emerged as the second-most significant foreign interference threat to Canada’s democratic institutions and processes”, displacing Russia.