Another step in the ongoing diplomatic crisis between the two countries was New Delhi’s demand that Canada return 41 ambassadors from India by October 10. India used the idea of political equality as the justification for its need.
By the date andnbsp, Canada and its political staff did not withdraw and rather chose to hold covert talks with India in an effort to end the crisis. 41 American diplomats left on October 19 in response to New Delhi’s threat to withdraw their political immunity after trying unsuccessfully to convince India. In response to this innovative development, Canada is not taking any hostile action.
After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s violent andnbsp allegations of American presence in the murder of pro-Khalistan head Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in British Columbia in June, the political crisis broke out. India responded to Canada’s expulsion of a top American diplomat by expelling another American diplomat.
The Indian diaspora & nbsp in Canada was negatively impacted by New Delhi’s travel warnings and suspension of visa services. Recently, partial visa services have resumed and India & nbsp, which is a positive sign for de-escalation.
While attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Trudeau & nbsp reaffirmed his accusations. In the midst of tense political relations, he urged India to assist with the research.
Canadian media outlets Revelations in & nbsp have significantly increased the credibility of Trudeau’s claims. According to reports, Five Eyes allies, an intelligence-sharing system that includes the United States, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, shared some of the data supporting the allegations, including human knowledge and intercepted communications between American diplomats.
Claims of Indian involvement in the shooting have been dismissed by the Indian government as” immoral.”
India asserts that Canada andnbsp did never divulge any certain details regarding Nijjar’s murder. However, media reports from unnamed American officials have shown that Indian officials did not dispute the existence of this intelligence during personal discussions.
During the 2023 Group of Twenty Summit in New Delhi, Justin Trudeau brought up this subject with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jody Thomas, Canada’s national security and intelligence advisor, has traveled to India half since August to speak with her American rival about the situation. According to reports, Modi and US President Joe Biden both brought up the subject at the G20 Summit.
The largest Hindu community in the world is found in Canada, and some of its members have backed the Khalistan movement. India & nbsp has repeatedly expressed concerns about Canada’s perceived leniency toward Sikh extremism and terrorism. It believes that the support of sikhs for an independent state of Khalistan poses a serious threat to its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ottawa emphasizes that peaceful protests fall within the purview of this political construction and defends the right to freedom of expression in democratic societies.
US worries
The United States has made it clear that it is strongly collaborating with Canada and is extremely concerned about these claims. Jake Sullivan, the US national security adviser, has andnbsp rejected media accounts that suggested there should be a border between the United States and Canada, demonstrating that the country takes this issue significantly.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken & nbsp urged India to work with the Canadian investigation during a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
India is a crucial ally for Canada and its friends in their efforts to counter autocratic regimes like China’s and share political ideals with them. China’s military attacks into disputed areas along the American border pose a serious threat to India.
India alone never shop this perceived Chinese danger and needs assistance from European nations given Beijing’s excellent military and economic might.
The corporate ties that support New Delhi’s relationships with Western nations should be strengthened, as should its democratic credentials. Concerns about authoritarian trends under the Modi administration have been raised by India’s democratic backsliding has & nbsp. If true, India’s alleged role in the murder of a pro-Khalistan president in Canada demonstrates the assertive foreign policy of New Delhi.
This happens as India’s democratic allies are attempting to harmonize their Indo-Pacific approaches at a crucial time. Concerns have been raised by the tragedy about India’s potential to act in a similar manner in various nations, including Australia, the United States, and the UK. Additionally, these countries have sizable Hindu diasporas that support the Khalistan movements.
Ottawa considers India’s alleged involvement in the assassination of a French national on American soil to be gravely violating Canadian sovereignty. India may actively work with Canada in the continued investigations if it maintains its innocence and has nothing to hide. New Delhi may act to ensure that the perpetrators receive judge if it is established that American officials were involved.
A prime example is the 2018 slaying of Jamal Khashoggi, a US citizen and nbsp who was critical of the Saudi government. Washington pursued righteousness for the death of its citizen despite having close economic and geopolitical ties to Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi government initially denied being involved, but under pressure from the US, it acknowledged its part and participated in the examinations. In the end, this assistance resulted in the judgment of eight people.
Governments must be steadfast in their dedication to protecting and defending personal freedom. Recognizing that working with Canada on these studies is India’s best course of action is in its best interest. Engagement, however, seems highly unlikely given India’s & nbsp, the crisis’ increase, and its lack of interest in assistance.
This article and its accompanying article were first published by East Asia Forum, a nonprofit organization based at the Australian National University’s College of Asia and the Pacific and housed within the & nbsp, Crawford School of Public Policy. It is republished with a Creative Commons permit.