India has strongly rejected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claims that there was a substantive discussion regarding the "safety of Canadians" during his brief encounter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ASEAN Summit in Laos. According to government sources, the two leaders only exchanged greetings and did not engage in any meaningful dialogue.

In light of ongoing concerns regarding Khalistani activities in Canada, Indian foreign ministry sources reiterated their expectations that the Canadian government would take firm action against those promoting violence and extremism from its territory. They warned that the nexus between these extremist forces, organized crime, and drug syndicates poses a significant threat to Canada.

During a press conference in Laos, Trudeau referred to his interaction with Modi as a "brief exchange" and emphasized the importance of the safety of Canadians and upholding the rule of law, though he refrained from detailing their conversation.

This brief meeting comes nearly a year after Trudeau accused India of involvement in the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who had been granted Canadian citizenship. India has categorically dismissed these allegations as "absurd" and "motivated," emphasizing that Hardeep Singh Nijjar was designated a terrorist in 2020.

The deterioration of relations between India and Canada has been significant since Trudeau's allegations in September regarding the potential involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar's killing outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. India has made it clear that improving bilateral relations hinges on Canada's ability to take credible action against anti-India activities and those who promote communal disharmony.