Indian PM congratulates Mark Carney on election as Canadian PM

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Mark J. Carney on his election as the Prime Minister of Canada, extending warm wishes to the Liberal Party for their electoral victory.

Canadian news outlet CTV News has projected that Carney and the Liberal Party will retain power, winning enough seats in the 45th federal election to form the government. Carney had taken over the leadership from Justin Trudeau, who resigned towards the end of his term after losing the confidence of his party.

The election was marked as one of the most unpredictable in Canadian history, with Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, and Green Party co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault leading their respective parties in a highly competitive race.

The election took place against the backdrop of tariff threats and repeated attacks from US President Donald Trump, who referred to Canada as the "51st state of the United States." According to an IPSOS poll conducted by Global News, the Liberal Party held a four-point lead heading into Monday's polls.

Carney had called an early election after dissolving Parliament, seeking a renewed mandate in what he described as "the most significant crisis of his lifetime," citing Trump's trade actions and threats to Canadian sovereignty.

His background as a former central banker and strong economic credentials, coupled with his rejection of Trump's annexation rhetoric, earned him the highest approval ratings among federal leaders.

Unlike his predecessor, Trudeau, whose tenure saw strained relations with India following his allegations regarding the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Nijjar, Carney has publicly advocated for improving ties with India. He notably extended condolences following the Pahalgam terror attack, signalling a commitment to strengthening India-Canada relations.

(ANI)