India-Canada Relations Sink To A New Low Over Sikh Activist’s Killing
It has a new connotation after India and Canada expelled each other’s top diplomats in an escalating row over the killing of a Sikh activist. It has strained the once close ties between two countries that last held a bitter dispute in 1984.
The Disagreement: What Caused the Diplomatic Dispute?
The tensions mark the fallout of the 2 June, 2023 killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen originally from India who was gunned down in his pickup truck outside the Surrey, British Columbia temple he led. Nijjar promoted the Khalistan movement, which calls for a separate Sikh nation — an idea that is illegal in India.
The situation reached a boiling point in Sept 2023 after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of being involved behind Nijjar’s assassination, alleging “credible allegations”. India rubbished these claims as “false and baseless” saying Nijjar was a terrorist who had indulged in separatist activities.
The Diplomatic Fallout: Eviction and Accusation
The diplomatic row escalated further on Monday with Canada announcing the expulsion of India’s chief diplomat over his alleged role in what it said was an attempt to assassinate a former Sikh separatist leader. Five Indian diplomats shown the door too. India responded by expelling Canada’s acting high commissioner and five other diplomats, who New Delhi said had tried to “sully India internationally for narrow political considerations.”
The situation has worsened as Mélanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister revealed that Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police had identified data connecting agents from India with “significant criminality” in the nation and that this incorporated links to Nijjar death. Six Canadians had been identified as persons of interest in the case, she said and that India asked for waiving diplomatic immunity so that these six can be questioned but it was declined.
So, How Did They Get So Bad?
The tension over the shooting death of Nijjar isn’t a new one. The case dated back to 2020, when India had declared Nijjar a “terrorist” and demanded his arrest in connection with an attack on a Hindu priest. Tensions flared again with the arrest of three Indian nationals in May 2024 by Canadian authorities on charges of assassinating Nijjar which led to a diplomatic spat.
India has long worried about the actions of Sikh separatist groups in Canada, saying Ottawa gives “carte blanche” to pro-Khalistan backers. But the two nations have had a strong defense and trade relationship, though there were shared strategic interests in seeking to counter China’s rise.
Khalistan Movement Made the Tail wag the Dog
Although the Khalistan movement originated from a demand for an independent Sikhs this in the Punjab region of India, but has considerable amount of backing across all Sikh diaspora especially where among countries like Canada. Almost 2% of the population in Canada is Sikh and they are well represented, with at least a dozen Sikhs sitting as members on Parliament Hill.
It may have lost momentum in India, but the separatist movement continues to be a source of tension between New Delhi and Ottawa over allegations that Canadian authorities have done little to curb Sikh extremism. The circumstances surrounding Nijjars death have only exacerbated these deep-seated grievances .The ongoing controversy over the killing of Nijjar has added to these existing tensions which keep brewing every now and then.
What’s Next? India-Canada: The Future Forward
The deepening of the diplomatic conflict raises questions about how relations between two countries will move forward. Serious allegations and mutual expulsions further prominent these tensions between Pakistan and India. Canadian investigators retorted with criticism of the Indian government saying that it had failed to share any tangible evidence with them, insisting their findings are sound.
The fresh incident has once again brought to the fore long-term worries on Khalistan and its potential bearing on diplomatic ties. In fact, they have to be very careful about how this crisis plays out if it is not going away anytime soon.
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