‘Told PM there is work that we need to do’: Trudeau on brief exchange with Modi

This was the second such encounter between the two leaders since Trudeau alleged in September 2023 that Indian government agents were linked to the killing of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The accusation, which India dismissed as absurd, sent bilateral ties into a tailspin from which they are yet to recover.

“I had a brief exchange with Prime Minister Modi in which I emphasised that there is work that we need to do,” Trudeau told the media in the Lao capital of Vientiane.

He declined to give details about the conversation but said there are real issues that India and Canada need to solve. He said that the “safety of Canadians and upholding the rule of law is one of the fundamental responsibilities of any Canadian government, and that’s what I’ll stay focused on”.