Crisis in India-Canada Relations, Historical Tensions, Recent Developments in India-Canada Crisis
India and Canada have expelled their top diplomats amid escalating tensions over the assassination of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil, marking a new low in a historically cordial relationship. While past disagreements have strained ties, none have reached this level of open confrontation. The India-Canada relations crisis has now escalated into an unprecedented diplomatic conflict.
In 1974, India shocked the world by detonating a nuclear device, drawing outrage from Canada, which accused India of extracting plutonium from a Canadian reactor, a gift intended solely for peaceful use. Relations between the two nations cooled considerably – Canada suspended support to India’s atomic energy program.
Yet neither expelled their top diplomats like they did on Monday as the row intensified over last year’s assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canada-based Sikh leader labelled a terrorist by India. The tit-for-tat expulsions followed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claim that Canadian police were investigating allegations of Indian agents’ – and the Indian government’s – direct involvement in the June 2023 killing.
Crisis in India-Canada Relations
Canadian police accused Indian agents of involvement in “homicides, extortion, and violent acts” targeting pro-Khalistan supporters advocating for a separate Sikh homeland in India. Delhi rejected the allegations as “preposterous.”
There are around 770,000 Sikhs living in Canada, home to the largest Sikh diaspora outside the Indian state of Punjab. Sikh separatism, rooted in a bloody insurgency in India during the 1980s and early ’90s, continues to strain relations between the two countries. Canada has faced sharp criticism from Delhi for failing to oppose the pro-Khalistan movement within its borders. India has claimed that Canada is aware of local Khalistani groups and has monitored them for years.
“This relationship has been on a downward trajectory for several years, but it’s now hit rock bottom,” Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center, an American think-tank, told the BBC. “Publicly laying out extremely serious allegations, withdrawing ambassadors, and releasing diplomatic statements with blistering language. This is uncharted territory, even for this troubled relationship.”
Historical Tensions
Analysts agree that the current moment signals a historic shift. Ryan Touhey, author of Conflicting Visions: Canada and India in the Cold War World, notes that past efforts to move beyond grievances related to Khalistan and nuclear proliferation have been derailed. Under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the focus shifted towards improving trade, education ties, and people-to-people links, emphasizing the significance of the Indian diaspora in Canada. However, under the Trudeau government, the India-Canada relations crisis has taken a new direction.
Despite efforts to move forward, the recent allegations from Canadian security services accuse Indian agents of potential involvement in the killing of a Canadian citizen. Canadian police claimed to have approached several pro-Khalistan movement members in recent months due to credible threats. They further alleged discovering significant evidence of criminal activity orchestrated by Indian agents.
“No country, particularly not a democracy that upholds the rule of law, can accept this fundamental violation of its sovereignty,” said Trudeau. India’s foreign ministry dismissed Canada’s allegations, describing them as politically motivated and influenced by Trudeau’s “vote bank politics.”
Recent Developments in India-Canada Crisis
Sikhs have considerable political influence in Canada, occupying 15 seats in the House of Commons, which is over 4% of all seats. In contrast, they represent only about 2% of the population. In 2016, Trudeau boasted of having more Sikhs in his cabinet than India’s own Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With national elections approaching, the Trudeau government finds itself grappling with dwindling public support. Recent polls show only 28% believe Trudeau deserves re-election.
Touhey argues that the crisis will hurt Trudeau politically, especially within the Indo-Canadian community. He explains that while the Indian diaspora in Canada was once predominantly Punjabi and Sikh, it has since become more diverse, with a significant presence of Hindus and immigrants from southern India and Gujarat. Many in these communities are proud of India’s economic growth and are unsympathetic towards Sikh separatism.
“After decades of pleading with Canadian governments to take Indian concerns over pro-Khalistani elements in Canada seriously, India now feels back to square one. But this time, India has a different government that is willing to act forcefully, right or wrong, to rein in perceived domestic threats,” Touhey said.
Kugelman echoed similar views. “There’s a lot at play that explains the rapid deterioration in bilateral ties. What India views as a dangerous threat, Canada sees as activism protected by free speech. And neither is willing to compromise,” he said.
The Road Ahead
Despite the crisis, experts say all may not be lost. The two countries share a long history, and Canada hosts one of the largest Indian-origin communities, with 1.3 million residents, making up about 4% of its population. India was Canada’s top source of international students in 2022 and remains a priority market, ranking as Canada’s 10th largest trading partner.
“People-to-people links will likely remain strong,” says Touhey. “At the high bilateral level, I don’t think there is much the current Canadian government can do now, as it enters the final year before the next election.”
However, experts agree that relations are in a dire state. “Delhi now levels the same allegations against Canada that it has regularly levelled against Pakistan,” Kugelman noted. “It accuses Ottawa of sheltering and sponsoring anti-India terrorists. And the language being used against Canada is even stronger than what has been used against Pakistan. That speaks volumes.”
External Link: BBC News
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