PM Modi had strongly taken up the issue of Sikh extremism, which successive Canadian governments have been accused of being soft on. The mention of cross-border terrorism is significant also because the leaders of some of the banned Sikh groups like Babbar Khalsa and ISYF are said to be living in Pakistan

India and Canada pulled the visit by Justin Trudeau back from the brink Friday by issuing one of the most strongly worded joint statement on terrorism in recent times. Titled Framework for Cooperation between India and Canada on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism, the joint document did not just call for action specifically against cross-border and state sponsored terrorism but also name-checked Pakistan based groups like LeT and Jaish. 

Perhaps even more significant for India was the mention of Babbar Khalsa and International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) which were clubbed together with not just LeT, Jaish but also other more high-profile international terror groups like Al-Qaeda, ISIS and the Haqqani Network in the same statement. This is the first time that Canada has agreed to a mention of Sikh terror groups in a joint document with India.

The statement, which followed PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with Trudeau, came a day after a Canadian dinner invite to a member of the same ISYF, Jaspal Atwal, threatened to derail Trudeau's visit. The 2 leaders also took stock of bilateral ties with focus on enhancing business and energy ties. India and Canada also signed 6 agreements including one for a ministerial dialogue on energy. 

Official sources revealed that Modi also gifted a copy of his book Exam Warriors to Trudeau's three kids. 

The mention of cross-border terrorism is significant also because the leaders of some of the banned Sikh groups like Babbar Khalsa and ISYF are said to be living in Pakistan. ISYF leader Lakhbir Singh Rode is among the Sikh militants said to be living in Lahore. 

"They committed to work together to neutralize the threats emanating from terrorist groups such as Al Qaida, ISIS, the Haqqani Network, LeT, JeM, Babbar Khalsa International, and the International Sikh Youth Federation," said the statement.

Official sources here said that Modi had strongly taken up the issue of Sikh extremism, which successive Canadian governments have been accused of being soft on, with Trudeau. Speaking after the meeting, Modi said that first and foremost the two countries had agreed to strengthen security cooperation as terrorism and extremism posed threats to democratic and diverse societies like Canada and India. 

"They recognized the urgent imperative to disrupt recruitment, terrorist movements and the flow of Foreign Terrorist Fighters, address the threat posed by cross-border and state-sponsored terrorism, stop sources of terrorist financing, dismantle terrorist infrastructure and prevent supply of arms to terrorists and counter violent extremism and radicalization to violence," said the Framework, which consists of institutionalized cooperation between the National Security Council Secretariat of India and the office of Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Adviser.

In a separate joint statement, the two countries focused on other areas of cooperation including civil nuclear energy. The leaders welcomed the continuation of uranium exports from Canada for peaceful use of civil nuclear power. "The leaders agreed to expand the ongoing mutually-beneficial civil nuclear cooperation by developing collaboration in nuclear science and technology. They welcomed the signing of an Agreement between the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Natural Resources Canada," said the statement.

This main joint statement too called for bringing terrorists to justice and holding accountable state sponsors of terrorism, including "cross-border terrorism."