Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau, with a hug, a day after embarrassed Canadian diplomats had to rescind an invitation to a man convicted of attempting to kill an Indian politician during a visit to Canada in the 1980s.

Jaspal Atwal, a former member of a banned Sikh separatist group, had been invited to a party for Mr Trudeau at Canada’s High Commission in New Delhi on Thursday evening.

India Canada
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau is greeted with a hug by Indian premier Narendra Modi (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press/AP)

Canada quickly withdrew the invitation once it was discovered, with Mr Trudeau telling reporters: “The individual in question never should have received an invitation.”

Mr Trudeau, who is in India an eight-day visit, met Mr Modi on Friday.

India Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is greeted by Indian counterpart Narendra Modi as he arrives at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press/AP)

Canada’s Sikh population includes some who support a breakaway Sikh state inside India.