Modi accepts Canada PM's invite to attend G7 summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted an invitation from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to attend the G7 Summit later this month that was extended during the first phone call between the two leaders on Friday, signalling Ottawa's intent to reset relations with New Delhi after a diplomatic row over the killing of a Khalistani separatist.

- Rezaul H Laskar and Anirudh Bhattacharyya

NEW DELHI/TORONTO:

The invitation for Modi to attend the outreach session of the G7 Summit came a little more than a week before the multilateral meet, and there has been intense speculation in diplomatic circles in recent days whether the Indian leader, who participated in the past five G7 Summits, would be invited, and if that were to happen, whether he would attend.

"Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month," Modi said in a social media post.

"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," he added.