Canada flags 'foreign interference, transnational crime' ahead of G7 summit to be attended by Modi
New Delhi: As the G7 Summit approaches, Canada has listed “foreign interference and transnational crime” among its top priorities, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to attend following a last-minute invitation. The summit, beginning on June 15, will be hosted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who outlined the agenda centred around three key missions, the first of which focuses on protecting communities through enhanced peace and security, wildfire coordination, and efforts to counter foreign meddling.
The timing and context of Modi’s invitation have drawn attention, as it came unusually late compared to invitations extended to other non-G7 nations like Mexico and South Africa, which received theirs by mid-May. Carney clarified that Modi’s invitation followed “progress” in law enforcement dialogue between the two countries, a statement seen as an effort to manage domestic backlash over India’s inclusion.
Canada’s emphasis on countering foreign interference carries added significance given its diplomatic tensions with India. Ties soured after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, a charge India strongly denied. The diplomatic fallout included tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats and a freeze in official engagements.
Further strain came after a Canadian public inquiry into foreign meddling identified both China and India as actors attempting to influence its political processes. A January 2025 report by the Hogue Commission cited intelligence suggesting a proxy linked to the Indian government may have tried to covertly fund candidates from multiple Canadian parties in 2021.
India, in response, accused Canada of interfering in its internal matters and promoting groups it considers extremist, including pro-Khalistani outfits. With Modi’s visit confirmed, Indian authorities are reportedly working rapidly to finalise logistics, including visa processing and accommodation, amid possible demonstrations from diaspora-based protest groups.
The trip includes transit stops in Cyprus, marking the first Indian PM visit there since 2002 and Croatia, which was earlier dropped from Modi’s Europe tour following the Pahalgam attack.
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ED arrests Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora in fresh PMLA case
New Delhi/Chandigarh (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday arrested Punjab industries minister Sanjeev Arora in a fresh money laundering case against him and some entities allegedly linked to him, officials said.
Arora was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after raids were conducted at his official residence in Chandigarh since early morning, they added.
Officials claimed Arora (62) was "non-cooperative" during the probe. He is expected to be produced before a local court on Saturday, where the agency will seek his custody for a detailed interrogation.
The ED carried out the searches at five premises across north India as part of the action.
The raids also covered two premises in Delhi and that of a company named Hampton Sky Realty Ltd in Gurugram's Udyog Vihar.
The searches were launched after the central agency registered a fresh case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the officials said.
