New Delhi: Extending felicitations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the NDA, under his stewardship, triumphed in the Lok Sabha election, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared on Thursday that his nation is poised to collaborate with India.
In a communiqué on X, PM Trudeau articulated, “Congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his electoral victory. Canada stands ready to work with his government to advance the relationship between our nations’ peoples—anchored to human rights, diversity, and the rule of law.”
The pronouncement by the Canadian leader surfaced merely days following a Canadian parliamentary document alleging India of financing domestic political entities to sway Ottawa’s electoral mechanism.
The report elucidated, “India emerged as the second-most significant foreign interference threat to Canada’s democratic institutions and processes.” It further elucidated, “It became apparent during this review period that India’s endeavors transcended countering perceived pro-Khalistani initiatives in Canada, extending to meddling in Canadian democratic processes and institutions, including targeting Canadian politicians, ethnic media, and Indo-Canadian ethnocultural communities.”
Addressing the report, PM Trudeau emphasized that his administration treats the issue of foreign interference with utmost gravity. The rapport between India and Canada is at a nadir following accusations from Canada that Indian operatives assassinated Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Nevertheless, India dismisses such claims as baseless and preposterous.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clinched 240 seats on Tuesday, as the tally of the Lok Sabha election votes unveiled this figure, affirming its status as the preeminent party in the 543-member Lok Sabha. With the endorsement of its allies, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) surpassed the 272-majority threshold. In the aftermath of this triumph, Modi has garnered accolades from a multitude of heads of state and international dignitaries.