In a recent diplomatic standoff that threatens to strain relations between India and Canada, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed concerns regarding allegations linking Indian agents to the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has vehemently rejected these suspicions, leading to a tit-for-tat expulsion of diplomats from both nations.
The ongoing dispute marks another chapter in the fraying diplomatic ties between the two countries, with India expressing discontent over Sikh separatist activities taking place on Canadian soil. The situation has also cast a shadow over trade relations, as talks on a proposed trade agreement between the two nations were suspended just last week.
The diplomatic dispute escalated with reciprocal expulsions of diplomats. Canada expelled India's top intelligence agent from its territory, while India responded by giving a Canadian diplomat five days to leave the country.
Trudeau addressed the matter in an emergency statement to the House of Commons, emphasizing the seriousness of any foreign government's involvement in the killing of a Canadian citizen. Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver, on June 18. Notably, India had designated Nijjar as a "terrorist" three years prior to the incident.
Nijjar had been an advocate for a Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, advocating for an independent state within India's northern state of Punjab, which shares its border with Pakistan.
On the Indian side, the foreign ministry issued a statement, declaring that the expulsion of the Canadian diplomat was prompted by concerns over Canadian diplomats' interference in India's internal matters and their alleged involvement in anti-India activities.
The Indian government dismissed the allegations made by Canada and Trudeau as "absurd and motivated" and pointed out that similar accusations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been previously rejected. India argued that these allegations were intended to divert attention away from "Khalistani terrorists and extremists who have been provided shelter in Canada."
The ministry urged the Canadian government to take "prompt and effective legal action" against individuals engaging in anti-Indian activities on Canadian soil.
Trudeau revealed that he had discussed the matter directly with Prime Minister Modi during the G20 summit in New Delhi, held on September 9 and 10. He urged the Indian government to cooperate with Canada in resolving the issue.
Prime Minister Modi, on his part, conveyed his strong concern to Trudeau about recent demonstrations in Canada led by Sikhs advocating for an independent state of Khalistan. Canada has the largest population of Sikhs outside of Punjab in India, with approximately 770,000 individuals reporting Sikhism as their religion in the 2021 census.
Khalistan has been a long-standing demand for an independent Sikh state, and it was associated with a Sikh insurgency in India during the 1980s and early 1990s, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties before being quelled by stringent security measures.
The United States and Australia have expressed "deep concern" over Canada's allegations, while Britain has maintained close communication with its Canadian counterparts regarding these "serious allegations."
India has closely monitored Sikh protesters in Canada, with some Indian analysts suggesting that Canada has not taken sufficient measures to curb these activities due to the political influence of Sikhs within the country.
This recent diplomatic tension follows India's criticism of Canada for allowing a float in a parade that depicted the 1984 assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her bodyguards. This portrayal was perceived by India as glorifying violence by Sikh separatists.
Additionally, talks on a proposed trade treaty between India and Canada were put on hold earlier this month, just three months after both nations had announced their intention to finalize an initial agreement this year.
During the G20 summit, Prime Minister Modi notably did not hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Trudeau, despite engaging in similar meetings with other world leaders. In the days leading up to the summit, pro-Khalistan graffiti appeared in metro stations in the Indian capital, further contributing to the diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
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