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The Hindu
29-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
PM Carney has a pragmatic approach, wants reset in India ties, says ex-envoy
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has a pragmatic approach to global and domestic affairs which makes him vastly different from his predecessor Justin Trudeau and this could help a reset in the country's ties with India, according to Stewart Beck, former Canadian High Commissioner to India and former President and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Talking to The Hindu on Canada-India relations, and what to expect after the recent meeting between Mr. Carney and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Beck noted that both countries have a complicated relationship that needs careful management. 'The relationship has gone through some highs and lows. In the 1970s, the first nuclear explosion by India had used Canadian technology too, which raised concerns on our side. Then in the 1980s, the bombing of Air India aircraft Kanishka, India's second nuclear explosion in the 1990s... There have been very positive developments, also some irritants ... the Khalistani separatism is an irritant that persists. It is a very complicated one and not easy for either side to understand fully,' he said. Mr. Beck, who has spent four decades as a Canadian diplomat in various positions, thinks the recent meeting between Mr. Carney and Mr. Modi during the G-7 summit in Canada was 'a clear indication' that the relationship has turned the corner after the controversy around the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist in Canada. Mr. Trudeau had blamed India for the killing. Also Read | Canada-based Khalistani extremists continue to plan, fund violence in India, says report 'Mr. Carney has a different perspective. He approaches relations with India quite positively, and he used the occasion of G-7 to put the ties on a positive track. And we need to do that, considering what is going on globally. India is a global player, and we need to figure out the best way to manage the relationship. I think PM Carney is prepared to do that,' Mr. Beck said. 'There was an argument that he was inviting Mr. Modi too early to Canada. But he took the position that it was not about the Canadian PM inviting Indian PM to Canada, but about Indian PM being invited to G-7 in Canada. India is one of the biggest economies of the world, and it had to be there at G-7. He then used that opportunity for a bilateral meeting too. The message that came out from that meeting is that we need to have a reset.' The diplomat thinks the uncertainties around the Nijjar case and likely new revelations might cause fresh tensions. 'Building more trust is the key. It takes more time, mutual familiarity and interaction. Whatever happened with the Nijjar assassination, we have to deal with it. It happened, there are accusations that remain, and we have to deal with that reality. We have not got all the facts. In Canada, we will have to deal with how far do we allow people to go. From may own perspective, having a float in a parade with the glorification of the assassination of Mr. Gandhi is a step too far. These sensitivities need to be addressed. In the Nijjar case, it is allegations at the moment and there is uncertainty about what will happen now. If these allegations are established as true, we have to have a mechanism to cope with it.' Mr. Beck is optimistic that, regardless of the Nijjar case outcome, there are several reasons for better India-Canada ties. 'Canadian pension funds have a significant role in financing infrastructure in India. We have interesting technologies in AI, biotechnology, climate change and we have things to offer,' he said. Excerpts from the interview
Mint
08-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
G7 Summit: Canada's PM Carney says New Delhi ‘belongs at the table'. Why is India important? Mint decodes
Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney, while highlighting India's economic stature and strategic role in global supply chains, said that the country's presence is 'essential' at the upcoming G7 Summit. 'It made sense,' Carney said, 'to have India, the fifth largest economy, at the G7 Summit." 'There are certain countries that should be at the table for those discussions in my capacity as G7 chair consultation,' he said. 'India is the fifth largest economy in the world, effectively the most populous in the world central to a number of supply chains, so it makes sense… I extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi in that context and he has accepted," Carney said on Friday while responding to a question on extending an invitation for the Summit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi also confirmed he would attend the G7 Summit in Canada. According to Vina Nadjibulla, Vice President of Research & Strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, 'having India at the G7 Summit matters to everybody else.' In an interview on CBC NN, Nadjibulla highlighted how there was a strong push from the other G7 countries to have India at the table. According to her, Canada is the outlier as other six members of the G7 are interested in deepening their strategic partnerships with India. 'In terms of the G7, we are the outlier because the other six members of the G7 are interested in deepening their strategic partnerships with India, deepening their defence technology and economic ties. In fact, every day there is a new announcement about either France of the UK or the US doing more with India,' she said. 'So, having India there also matters to everybody else. I think there was a strong push from other G6 to have India at the table. And I think in order for Canada also to be able to show relevance on the world stage, we can't just engage in diplomacy with those whom we like. I mean, diplomacy is not a gift to our friends. It's not a concession. It's a necessary tool to be able to advance our interests and defend our values,' Nadjibulla added. Experts say given the increasing economic heft of the country, India cannot be outside the major policy issues confronting the West, an opinion Canada's Carney seconded on Friday. India surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy in May this year. At present, India's economy is bigger than all the G7 countries except the US and Germany. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's two visits to India have been 'instrumental in infusing momentum and depth in the bilateral agenda between India and Italy' in PM Modi's own words. Italy is India's fourth largest trading partner in the European Union, according to the Embassy of India, Rome, Italy. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $14.56 billion in 2023-2024, with India's exports at $8.76 billion. An India Brand Equity Foundation report said that the Indian community in Italy (estimated at 2.5 lakh including PIOs) is the third largest community of Indians in Europe after the UK and the Netherlands. India ranks 15th as the country of origin of Italian imports, accounting for 1.5% of Italian imports, the report added. While attending the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Italy last year, PM Modi held bilateral discussions with then UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy will be in India to further advance an ambitious UK-India relationship during talks with PM Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The visit follows the historic Free Trade Agreement agreed between the two countries and will deliver on this government's commitment to boost jobs and prosperity back in the UK, as part of the government's Plan for Change, a UK government's press release said on Saturday. The new deal with India is expected to increase bilateral trade by over £25 billion every year, UK GDP by £4.8 billion, and wages by £2.2 billion each year in the long run, the report added.
Economic Times
08-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
India is the 5th largest economy, so it makes sense: Canada's Mark Carney backs PM Modi's G7 invite despite tensions
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has defended his decision to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit, stating it "made sense" given India's economic stature and global role. Despite ongoing tensions over the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Carney stressed that diplomacy is necessary for advancing national interests. The move sparked criticism from Sikh groups, but Carney underscored India's strategic value and noted progress in law enforcement dialogue between the two countries. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Strong push from G6 countries to include India Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads PM Modi confirms participation A strained backdrop: Nijjar's killing and diplomatic rift Sikh organisations oppose Modi's presence Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Other guest nations at G7 2025 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has firmly defended his invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the upcoming G7 Summit in Kananaskis , Alberta, from 15–17 June. Carney said India's presence is essential for discussions on global priorities such as energy security, critical minerals, and infrastructure partnerships.'India is the fifth largest economy in the world, effectively the most populous country in the world, central to a number of those supply chains at the heart of a number of those supply chains, so it makes sense,' Carney said in a media interaction on G7 Summit will focus on pressing international concerns including artificial intelligence, climate action, digital development, and cooperation with emerging Nadjibulla, Vice President of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, added that the decision to include India wasn't solely Canada's.'In terms of the G7, we are the outlier because the other six members of the G7 are interested in deepening their strategic partnerships with India, deepening their defence technology and economic ties. In fact, every day there is a new announcement about either France or UK or US doing more with India,' she told CBC News continued, 'So having India there also matters to everybody else. I think there was a strong push from other G6 to have India at the table. And I think in order for Canada also to be able to show relevance on the world stage, we can't just engage in diplomacy with those whom we like. I mean, this is not… diplomacy is not a gift to our friends. It's not a concession. It's a necessary tool to be able to advance our interests and defend our values, right?'Prime Minister Modi accepted the invitation, expressing appreciation in a post on X. 'Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister Mark J Carney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the Summit.'This invitation comes at a time when India–Canada ties remain deeply strained. Tensions escalated after the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar , a Canadian citizen and vocal pro-Khalistan activist, outside a gurdwara in authorities accused Indian agents of involvement, a charge India categorically denied. The result was a diplomatic standoff, with both countries expelling senior envoys in a tit-for-tat asked whether he believed PM Modi was linked to Nijjar's murder, Carney declined to speculate. 'There is a legal process that is literally underway and quite advanced in Canada… It's never appropriate to make comments with respect to those legal processes,' he Indian nationals have been arrested and charged in connection with the murder, and investigations World Sikh Organization has criticised the decision to invite Modi. Its president, Dinesh Singh, told The Guardian, 'This is a betrayal, not just of our community, but core Canadian values.'These reactions underscore a larger discontent among Sikh Canadians who have accused Ottawa of ignoring community concerns in favour of geopolitical the rift, Carney said there had been some improvement in bilateral cooperation. 'In addition, bilaterally we have now agreed importantly to continued law enforcement to law enforcement dialogue so there's been some progress on that recognises issues of accountability. I extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi in that context and he has accepted.'Carney also noted that inviting India to such global platforms helps Canada maintain relevance isn't the only non-G7 country invited to this year's summit. Canada has also extended invitations to:South African President Cyril RamaphosaAustralian Prime Minister Anthony AlbaneseUkrainian President Volodymyr ZelenskyMexican President Claudia Sheinbaum (pending confirmation)For Carney and his G7 counterparts, engaging with India appears to be a strategic necessity, regardless of domestic backlash. As the summit approaches, New Delhi's role in global supply chains and economic governance seems to outweigh diplomatic this G7 appearance eases bilateral tensions or deepens divisions at home remains to be seen. But for now, both sides appear to have chosen pragmatism over grievance.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India is the 5th largest economy, so it makes sense: Canada's Mark Carney backs PM Modi's G7 invite despite tensions
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has firmly defended his invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the upcoming G7 Summit in Kananaskis , Alberta, from 15–17 June. Carney said India's presence is essential for discussions on global priorities such as energy security, critical minerals, and infrastructure partnerships. 'India is the fifth largest economy in the world, effectively the most populous country in the world, central to a number of those supply chains at the heart of a number of those supply chains, so it makes sense,' Carney said in a media interaction on Friday. The G7 Summit will focus on pressing international concerns including artificial intelligence, climate action, digital development, and cooperation with emerging economies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like War Thunder - Register now for free and play against over 75 Million real Players War Thunder Play Now Undo Strong push from G6 countries to include India Vina Nadjibulla, Vice President of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, added that the decision to include India wasn't solely Canada's. 'In terms of the G7, we are the outlier because the other six members of the G7 are interested in deepening their strategic partnerships with India, deepening their defence technology and economic ties. In fact, every day there is a new announcement about either France or UK or US doing more with India,' she told CBC News Network. Live Events She continued, 'So having India there also matters to everybody else. I think there was a strong push from other G6 to have India at the table. And I think in order for Canada also to be able to show relevance on the world stage, we can't just engage in diplomacy with those whom we like. I mean, this is not… diplomacy is not a gift to our friends. It's not a concession. It's a necessary tool to be able to advance our interests and defend our values, right?' PM Modi confirms participation Prime Minister Modi accepted the invitation, expressing appreciation in a post on X. 'Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister Mark J Carney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the Summit.' A strained backdrop: Nijjar's killing and diplomatic rift This invitation comes at a time when India–Canada ties remain deeply strained. Tensions escalated after the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar , a Canadian citizen and vocal pro-Khalistan activist, outside a gurdwara in Vancouver. Canadian authorities accused Indian agents of involvement, a charge India categorically denied. The result was a diplomatic standoff, with both countries expelling senior envoys in a tit-for-tat move. When asked whether he believed PM Modi was linked to Nijjar's murder, Carney declined to speculate. 'There is a legal process that is literally underway and quite advanced in Canada… It's never appropriate to make comments with respect to those legal processes,' he said. Four Indian nationals have been arrested and charged in connection with the murder, and investigations continue. Sikh organisations oppose Modi's presence The World Sikh Organization has criticised the decision to invite Modi. Its president, Dinesh Singh, told The Guardian, 'This is a betrayal, not just of our community, but core Canadian values.' These reactions underscore a larger discontent among Sikh Canadians who have accused Ottawa of ignoring community concerns in favour of geopolitical strategy. Despite the rift, Carney said there had been some improvement in bilateral cooperation. 'In addition, bilaterally we have now agreed importantly to continued law enforcement to law enforcement dialogue so there's been some progress on that recognises issues of accountability. I extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi in that context and he has accepted.' Carney also noted that inviting India to such global platforms helps Canada maintain relevance internationally. Other guest nations at G7 2025 India isn't the only non-G7 country invited to this year's summit. Canada has also extended invitations to: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum (pending confirmation) For Carney and his G7 counterparts, engaging with India appears to be a strategic necessity, regardless of domestic backlash. As the summit approaches, New Delhi's role in global supply chains and economic governance seems to outweigh diplomatic discomfort. Whether this G7 appearance eases bilateral tensions or deepens divisions at home remains to be seen. But for now, both sides appear to have chosen pragmatism over grievance.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As US and China escalate trade war, the world asks, ‘Who will blink first?'
As United States President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping face off in an escalating trade war that has roiled global markets and businesses big and small, the question on countless minds is who will blink first. Trump has pummelled China with a 145-percent tariff. Beijing has retaliated with a duty of 125 percent. On Tuesday, Trump ramped up his trade salvoes by ordering a national security review of imports of critical minerals, most of which come from China. Earlier, Bloomberg News reported that China had ordered its airlines not to take deliveries of Boeing jets and halt purchases of aircraft-related equipment and parts from US companies, while Hong Kong's postal service announced it would no longer handle US-bound mail. 'A 145-percent tariff will make it impossible for China to sell to the US – the costs on both economies will be exceptionally high,' Vina Nadjibulla, vice president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, told Al Jazeera. 'A complete decoupling is almost impossible to contemplate.' 'Who will blink first depends on who can stand more pain and who is better prepared,' she added. While Trump has long accused China of ripping off the US on trade, analysts have questioned whether his administration has a clear goal of what it wants to achieve with its tariffs. Harry Broadman, a former US assistant trade representative and one of the chief negotiators of the WTO, said it is not clear whether Trump wants to close the trade deficit with China or end business with the country outright. 'How does Trump deal with US firms that need their goods from China for their factories to work? It's not black and white,' Broadman told Al Jazeera. 'Markets are layered through the different stages of production, you've got components coming from all over the world. The global economy is finely chopped up vertically, so it's not obvious who the winners and losers are.' Broadman said Trump's approach to trade has been simplistic and unrealistic. 'He's obviously a deals guy in real estate, but not international markets … How he thinks is, 'How can I win and how can I make the opponent lose?'' he said. 'It's not more sophisticated than that. He's not interested in splitting the spoils. But you don't get very far with that.'Trump has made it clear that he believes it is up to China to come to the negotiating table. In a statement on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt quoted Trump as saying that 'the ball is in China's court.' 'China needs to make a deal with us, we don't have to make a deal with them,' Leavitt told a media briefing in remarks that she said came directly from Trump. While the US economy entered the trade war in a relatively strong position compared with China – which is facing headwinds including high unemployment and low domestic demand – Beijing has been preparing for a trade war since at least since Trump's first term, according to analysts. 'The Trump administration has miscalculated that China would quickly come to the negotiating table and would respond to threats,' Dexter Tiff Roberts, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, told Al Jazeera. Last week, the People's Daily, a mouthpiece of China's Communist Party, said the country was prepared for the tariffs after accumulating 'rich experience' during the past eight years of trade tensions with the US. 'For China, this is an almost existential struggle both on trade and security,' Roberts said, referring to repeated statements from Xi that the East is on the rise while the West is in decline. China has been diversifying its trade away from the US for years, including by reducing its dependence on US agricultural products such as soya beans, which it now mostly sources from Brazil. In 2024, 14.7 percent of China's exports went to the US, down from 19.2 percent in 2018. On Monday, Xi began a five-day tour of Southeast Asia aimed at buttressing China's self-styled image as a champion of free trade and a more reliable partner to the region than the US. There are also political considerations for China. Xi has built an image of a strong man and capitulating to the US quickly would damage this image, something he cannot risk both domestically and in China's dealings with other countries, Roberts said. 'It is likely they'll find some MO where both sides declare victory, otherwise it's like going nuclear and it will shut down entire trade between US and China and I don't even understand how that works and it will have shocking global implications,' Roberts Rogowsky, a professor of trade and economic diplomacy at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, said he expects Trump to blink first. 'There's so much blinking going on in Washington that it's almost hard to believe there won't be more,' Rogowsky told Al Jazeera. 'Trump has this misguided obsession with tariffs and he blinks because he comes under pressure from special interests – the wealthy class that has been losing huge amounts of wealth in stock and bond markets,' Rogowsky said, adding that recent turmoil in the financial markets had damaged his support base. On Friday, the Trump administration announced it would exempt technology imports from the 145-percent levy on China, although later White House officials said that was a temporary reprieve and sectoral tariffs were in the pipeline. Trump on Monday suggested he was also considering exemptions from his 25-percent auto tariffs. 'Every public policy negotiation has layers of negotiation: the negotiation with those across the table and the many with those behind you [who helped you] to get to the table,' Rogowsky said, adding that in this case, Trump had 'negotiated' with special interests in the tech and auto sectors and 'given in right away'. It is possible Trump was driven by fear of losing the support of industry executives, he added. 'The process [of giving in] begins and will continue before anyone ever gets to Beijing. And Beijing can sit back and watch,' Rogowsky said, describing Trump as 'clueless.' 'The Apprentice worked because he was a mid-level host with no power, being managed by others,' he said, referring to Trump's hit reality television show. Trump's lack of policy coherence is also damaging the US on other levels, according to Wei Liang, an expert in international trade at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Former US President Joe Biden's focus on China was 'strategic and with its allies, but Trump is alienating everyone,' Liang told Al Jazeera. 'In the short run, MNCs and countries have to do adjustments and crisis management. But in the long term, the US has damaged its relationships, especially in security,' Liang said. While most countries do not have a real alternative to the US – a fact that will buy Washington time – countries will, over the longer term, try to develop a 'US+1 strategy as the US is no longer the most reliable market for security treaties,' she said.
