Explainer: How India-Canada Relations Are Faring Recently (image:instagram.com/justinpjtrudeau)
India-Canada relations were linked by two factors: trade associations and the Indian diaspora in Canada. Recently, the relations got shaken up when India alleges that Canada is supporting Khalistani movement and Canada in turn, questioning former’s unwanted interference in country’s domestic politics.
Khalistan Movement
A separatist movement tracing its history back to early 1980s, aims for an independent Sikh nation, carved out of Punjab. Though the movement is not active in Punjab, Sikh diaspora community in different parts of the world still garner their vision for Khalistan.
India Expressing Concerns
In June, Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar said that Canada’s handling of Khalistan issue, “seem to be driven by vote-bank politics.” He alludes to the votes of Sikh Canadian population, and according to 2021 Census, around 2% of Canada’s population are Sikh. During the G-20 Summit meeting in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also expressed strong concerns over the pro-Khalistan activities in Canada.
Latest Turn of Events
The crisis reached another blow, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, addressing the parliament on Monday, accused India government in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Mr. Nijjar, a strong a strong advocate of Khalistan movement, was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Vancouver. He was the leader of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), and has been labelled as a “terrorist” in July 2020, and wanted by Indian authorities.
Following, Indian diplomat was expelled by Mr. Trudeau in relation to conducting investigation. Ministry of External Affairs rejected the allegation as “absurd and motivated” and has expelled Canadian High Commissioner to India, Cameron MacKay.
The trade relation between two countries have also been strained since September, and on Tuesday Canadian government updated a travel advisory asking citizens to avoid travelling to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir citing ‘unpredictable security situations.’
“The spat will have ramifications for Canada’s position globally,” Time reports.
