“Respect for everyone’s concerns”: Prime Minister Modi to Trudeau’s congratulatory message | Latest news India

The difficult nature of relations between India and Canada was highlighted when Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to a message from his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on Monday by saying that New Delhi looked forward to working with Ottawa on the basis of “respect for everyone’s concerns”.

Bilateral relations have been in freefall since Trudeau claimed in September last year that Indian government agents were linked to the killing of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India rejected the accusation as “absurd” and argued that Canada had not provided any evidence to support its claim.

“Thank you @CanadianPM for the congratulatory message. India looks forward to working with Canada based on mutual understanding and respect for each other’s concerns,” Modi said in a message on X Monday morning, apparently referring to India’s long-standing concerns. regarding the activities of pro-Khalistan elements in Canada. .

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Modi was responding to a congratulatory message posted on the Canadian Prime Minister’s official X account on June 6.

Trudeau had said in that message that Canada was willing to work with Modi’s new government to advance ties, as long as they were “anchored” in human rights and diversity.

“Congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his election victory. Canada stands ready to work with its government to advance relationships between the people of our nations – anchored in human rights, diversity and the rule of law,” the message said.

Modi and Trudeau have a rocky relationship and last met on the sidelines of the G20 summit held in New Delhi last September, just days before the Canadian prime minister made the allegation over Nijjar’s murder in Parliament canadian.

They are expected to come face to face when Modi makes his first foreign visit after serving as prime minister for a third term to attend the outreach session of the G7 summit in Italy on July 14.

Nijjar was declared a terrorist by India in 2020 and was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The Indian side is also very concerned about Canada’s failure to act against provocative actions by Khalistani agents, such as posters identifying senior Indian diplomats and making threats against them, and rallies like the one in front of the Indian consulate in Vancouver last week, with a tank. depicting the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.