At present, just four nations – the US, United Kingdom, Russia and France – have the capability to produce aircraft engines, with China also lacking this innovative technology. The GE F-414 collaboration aims to strengthen US-Indian defense cooperation and enhance their collective ability to combat China’s advancements in defense systems.
India likewise plays a key role in Canada’s Indo-Pacific plan, unveiled in 2022. In the standard document outlining the plan, Ottawa described China as a “disruptive energy” and emphasised the need to improve relations with Indo-Pacific countries, especially India.
The technique highlights” India’s growing proper, financial, and demographic significance” as key to achieving Canada’s geostrategic objectives. Canada and India are engaged in negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement as part of this strategy. But due to the political conflicts sparked by Canada’s complaints, these discussions have been suspended.
THE WEST’S Displeasure
The Modi government may have figured out how to protect itself from criticism for its management of pro-Khalistan protesters worldwide given its strategic value to the West. However, the emphatic reply from both the US and Canada suggests then, with the West making it clear that such actions are intolerable, regardless of India’s strategic value.
India will likely continue to deny Canada’s complaints and sever diplomatic ties with the other country in a contentious debate that may affect every aspect of the bilateral relationship.
From Canada’s standpoint, American actions on American soil represent a blatant infraction of independence. Ottawa anticipates cooperation and assurances from India that such transnational repression wo n’t take place in the future. From India’s point of view, it’s a matter of national security problem as Canada appeases pro-Khalistan parts.
The Modi federal has usually had a positive impact on relationships with western nations, but the Sikh community in Canada has been a major drag in boosting relationships.
Without a common denominator to bring these contradictory viewpoints together, the relationship between the two nations is likely to continue to be disturbed despite wider geopolitical considerations that would otherwise lead to closer relations.
Thompson Rivers University’s Assistant Professor of Political Science is Saira Bano. This criticism first appeared on The Conversation.