Canada has identified countering “foreign interference and transnational crime” as a key priority for the upcoming G7 Summit, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend after accepting a late invitation last week. Unveiling the host country’s agenda ahead of the summit’s opening on June 15, Prime Minister Mark Carney outlined three “core missions.”

The first, titled “Protecting our communities and the world”, includes strengthening peace and security, coordinating efforts to combat forest wildfires and, notably, “countering foreign interference and transnational crime”. The second priority focuses on “building energy security and accelerating the digital transition” by strengthening supply chains for critical minerals and leveraging artificial intelligence.

Carney also said Canada would seek “securing the new partnerships in the future” aimed at unlocking large-scale private investment to develop resilient infrastructure, generate better-paying jobs and expand access to competitive, high-growth markets. As the Canadian media observed, these outlined ‘core missions’ are aligned to Carney’s domestic agenda. It remains unclear how prominently Canada’s stated priorities will feature in the G7 summit discussions, but traditionally, the host nation’s agenda tends to receive significant emphasis in the summit’s joint declaration.

Canada’s emphasis on foreign interference and transnational crime also carries particular diplomatic weight. Ottawa has been outspoken about attempts by foreign governments to meddle in its domestic affairs – especially election processes.  The pairing of “foreign interference” with “transnational crime” was also seen as a signal that Ottawa is referring to efforts by foreign governments to target individuals on Canadian soil.

Last Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he had received and accepted the invitation to attend the G7 summit during a phone call with the Canadian prime minister. It was an unusually late invitation, as it was just over a week before the summit was to begin, while other non-G7 states, like Mexico, Brazil, Ukraine and South Africa had got their invitation by the first half of May.

Carney’s invitation to India has drawn some domestic criticism, forcing him to clarify the decision publicly. “We have now agreed, importantly, to continued law enforcement dialogue,” he said. “There’s been some progress on that, which recognises issues of accountability. I extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi in that context, and he has accepted.”

Among the G7 outreach invitees, India is the only country whom the host, Canada has accused of both “foreign interference” and involvement in “transnational crime”.

Ties between India and Canada nose-dived in September 2023 after then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian government agents of being involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom India had labelled as a Khalistani terrorist. New Delhi firmly rejected the charge, arguing instead that the real concern was Canada’s tolerance of groups it considers anti-India and separatist in nature.

In October 2024, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Mike Duheme alleged that Indian officials were linked to a wider effort to intimidate or target Canadian nationals. The diplomatic rift deepened when Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma. India reciprocated, prompting a further freeze in official engagement.

Besides, a public inquiry led by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue into foreign meddling  later identified China and India as key actors attempting to influence Canadian political processes.

In its January 2025 report, the commission noted: “Intelligence holdings also reveal that a government of India proxy agent may have attempted to clandestinely provide financial support to candidates from three political parties in 2021,” adding that “the source of any such financial contribution could have been unknown to the candidates.”

Responding to the report, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a sharp statement that it was Canada that had been “consistently interfering in India’s internal affairs.” The ministry also claimed that such interference had encouraged “illegal migration and organized criminal activities”.

In the run-up of the snap parliamentary polls in April that was won by Carney, a senior Canadian intelligence official said in a public briefing that India, along with China, has the potential to interfere in the country’s upcoming general elections next month.

Meanwhile, Indian officials are working against the clock to finalise logistics for the prime minister’s visit, rushing to obtain visas and secure accommodation for the delegation on short notice. The Indian team is also preparing for possible confrontations from pro-Khalistani groups, despite protest zones being restricted to three designated areas away from the main summit venue.

In addition, Indian diplomats are hurriedly coordinating two stopovers for Prime Minister Modi’s travel to and from Canada. On the outbound leg, he will transit through Cyprus, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the country since 2002. On the return journey, Modi is scheduled to pass through Croatia, a visit that was originally planned as part of last month’s Europe tour but had to be cancelled following the Pahalgam terror attack.