Canada wants to mend fences with India, despite allegations

• Trudeau reiterates commitment to stronger Canada-India ties.
• Dispute centers on alleged Indian involvement in Sikh leader’s murder.
• Diplomatic tensions escalate with expulsions and visa suspensions.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has emphasized his country’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with India, despite the current diplomatic dispute.

These comments come amid a period of strained relations between the two nations.

The tensions escalated after Mr. Trudeau announced on September 19th that Canada was investigating credible allegations of India’s involvement in the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader. India promptly rejected this assertion as “unfounded.”

The victim, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was killed outside a temple in Canada in June.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Trudeau underscored the significance of engaging with India constructively and sincerely.

The strains between the two nations became apparent during the G20 summit in Delhi on September 9th, when Mr. Trudeau opted to forgo an official dinner with fellow leaders.

While he did have a brief meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, experts noted that their body language appeared distant.

A few days later, Mr. Trudeau informed the Canadian parliament that they were actively pursuing credible allegations of Indian agents’ involvement in Nijjar’s assassination.

Subsequently, both countries expelled one diplomat from the other’s nation. India also recently suspended visa services for Canadians, citing security concerns at its diplomatic missions in Canada.

On Thursday, Mr. Trudeau reiterated the importance of maintaining relations with India but made it clear that the murder investigation would persist.

India has consistently asserted its innocence in the murder case, emphasizing that Nijjar had been designated a terrorist by Delhi in 2020—a claim vigorously denied by his supporters.

The Indian government has reacted strongly to demands from Sikh separatists in Western nations advocating for Khalistan, a separate Sikh homeland. Nijjar was an outspoken proponent of the Khalistan movement.

This movement had its peak in India during the 1980s, marked by a violent insurgency primarily centered in Punjab, a Sikh-majority state.

It was ultimately suppressed through force and has significantly waned in relevance within India.

However, it continues to have a following among certain segments of the Sikh diaspora in countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK.

The diplomatic dispute between India and Canada, which have maintained a close alliance for many years, has also presented challenges for Western countries.

The United States, United Kingdom, and Australia have encouraged cooperation from Delhi in the investigation but refrained from openly criticizing India.

These countries perceive India as a key regional player countering China’s growing influence in Asia.

Prime Minister Trudeau mentioned that he had received assurance from the United States that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would discuss the allegations during his meeting with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar in Washington.

The foreign ministers did meet on Thursday but did not mention Canada during their joint press conference.

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