Narendra Modi draws line under Justin Trudeau’s Indian trip

Narendra Modi has greeted Justin Trudeau, a week after the Canadian Prime Minister began his troubled tour of India.

Narendra Modi embraces Justin Trudeau at the presidential palace in New Delhi today. Picture: AFP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau today, a day after Canadian ­diplomats had to revoke a party invitation for a man convicted of attempting to kill an Indian politician.

The invitation was the latest blunder in Mr Trudeau’s eight-day visit, which has included everything from criticism of his colourful wardrobe to questions about whether his government is sufficiently critical of Sikh ­extremists.

Jaspal Atwal, a Canada-based former member of a banned Sikh separatist group, had been invited by a Canadian MP to a Thursday evening party for Mr Trudeau at Canada’s high commission in New Delhi.

Atwal was convicted of trying to kill an Indian cabinet minister during a 1986 visit to Canada. He was part of a gang that opened fire on a car carrying Malkiat Singh Sidhu, who was visiting family in Vancouver. The minister was shot but survived. Atwal was imprisoned, and became a businessman after his release.

Canada quickly withdrew the invitation once it was discovered, with Mr Trudeau saying: ­“Obviously we take this situation extremely seriously. The individual in question never should have received an invitation.”

Earlier in the week, Atwal ­attended a Mumbai reception at which he was photographed with Mr Trudeau’s wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.

Mr Modi still welcomed Mr Trudeau yesterday with his signature bear hug, smiling at his wife and their three children, who also attended the outdoor ceremony at the presidential palace in New Delhi.

Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and their children speak with Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan in Mumbai. Picture: AFP

In a Thursday night tweet, Mr Modi said he looked forward to meeting Mr Trudeau and his family, adding: “I appreciate his deep commitment to ties between our two countries.”

But it hasn’t been an easy trip for Mr Trudeau in many ways.

He’s been ridiculed in India on social media for his family’s endless wardrobe changes, with the photogenic group appearing in colourful Indian clothing, and has faced repeated insistence that he denounce Sikh extremism.

“Sikh radicalism is the main issue,” the Hindustan Times said in an editorial earlier this week.

“Justin Trudeau should allay India’s concerns on terrorism.”

Canada has a small but politically potent Sikh population, some of whom support a breakaway Sikh state, known as Khalistan, inside India.

The Indian media often describe the Trudeau government as being soft on the Khalistan issue. Mr Trudeau insisted that he’d told Indian politicians that was not true.

“I was pleased to be able to make very, very clear that Canada supports one united India,” he said after one meeting.

Mr Trudeau dressed more ­extravagantly than Bollywood A-listers at a function in Mumbai and wore a turban during a visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, prompting critics to say he should spend more time on foreign policy and less on fancy dress.

He has boasted he has more Sikh ministers than Mr Modi and much of his trip has appeared designed to court the votes of Canada’s Sikh community rather than rebuild bridges with Delhi.

Mr Modi is also alert to his domestic audience. After negotiations before Mr Trudeau’s arrival last Friday failed to secure a statement backing Indian unity — by implication withdrawing support for Khalistan — a junior minister was sent to meet the ­Canadians at the airport.

AP, The Times