Justin Trudeau Affirms Presence in Virtual G20 Summit Amid Diplomatic Tensions Between India-Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to participate in the virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit hosted by India, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office. Trudeau’s schedule for Wednesday includes his virtual presence at the summit, amid a diplomatic standoff between India and Canada.

The announcement comes on the heels of an earlier diplomatic incident, where the Speaker of the Canadian Senate, Raymonde Gagne, opted to skip the Presiding Officers’ Summit of Parliaments of G20 nations in Delhi on October 12.

On November 12, Trudeau reignited tensions by restating his allegation of Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India. He accused New Delhi of violating the Vienna Convention, asserting that India expelled 40 diplomats at a time when Canada sought collaboration on the investigation into the murder.

Trudeau emphasized Canada’s commitment to the rule of law, stating, “Canada is a country that will always stand up for the rule of law because if might starts to make right again, if bigger countries can violate international law without consequences, then the whole world gets more dangerous for everyone.”

Despite the accusations, Trudeau expressed a desire to “work constructively” with India, reinforcing Ottawa’s commitment to the rule of law.

In October, Canada withdrew 41 diplomats from India and suspended visa and consular services in Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Bengaluru consulates following the Indian government’s decision to strip them of immunity. The Ministry of External Affairs responded, asserting that no international norms were violated in India.

On November 16, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar responded to Trudeau’s claims, stating that Canada had not provided evidence to support its allegations regarding the Nijjar killing.

As the G20 Virtual Summit commenced at 5:30 pm, leaders from all G20 member countries, the Chair of the African Union, and heads of nine guest countries and 11 international organizations were invited. The virtual summit aimed to address key global issues, discuss outcomes, and review developments since the New Delhi G20 Summit in September.

Major progress on G20 priorities, such as the commitment to tripling renewable energy capacity globally by 2030 and doubling the global rate of energy efficiency improvement by 2030, were anticipated as key outcomes of the summit in preparation for COP28.