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Canada–India diplomatic row

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The Canada–India diplomatic row[1][2][3] refers to the diplomatic dispute in the Canada–India relations caused in September 2023. India's alleged role in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023 created a diplomatic crisis between Canada and India.[4][5] While the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations that the Indian government was involved in the assassination of Nijjar triggered this diplomatic row, the tensions between India and Canada have been largely fuelled by disagreements over the Sikh separatist Khalistan movement and its active supporters.[4][6]

Background

Further information: 2023 Sikh protests, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and Khalistan movement

Canada has the largest Sikh population outside India.[7]

In March 2023, Canada's High Commissioner was summoned by India to "convey strong concern" over Sikh protesters in Canada and the security breach of India's diplomatic mission and consulates.[8]

In September 2023, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed concerns about the protests in Canada to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.[9]

In 2023, Canada paused talks on a proposed trade treaty with India.[10] In September 2023, Canada announced it has postponed an October trade mission to India.[11]

On 18 September 2023, Prime Minister Trudeau addressing the House of Commons said that "Over the past number of weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar".[12] Trudeau stated that he had presented the accusations directly to Prime Minister Modi "in no uncertain terms" during the G20 summit in New Delhi.[12] Trudeau further added that "Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty" while urging the Indian government to cooperate in the ongoing investigation.[13]

Indian Ministry of External Affairs rejected Trudeau's allegations in a statement saying that claims of India's "involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated". It added that similar accusations made earlier by Trudeau to Prime Minister Modi had been "completely rejected". The statement further said that "Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India's sovereignty and territorial integrity". India urged Canada "to take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from their soil". It said that Canada's inaction has been "a long-standing and continuing concern".[14][15]

Diplomatic row

On 18 September 2023, Canadian foreign affairs minister Melanie Joly announced that Canada had expelled 'Pavan Kumar Rai' — a "senior Indian diplomat". According to Joly, Pavan Kumar Rai was the head of the Canada station of India's foreign intelligence agency — the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The High Commission of India in Ottawa lists Rai as the minister responsible for "eco, coordination, community affairs".[16]

In her statement, Joly said that Canada "will not tolerate any form of foreign interference". She added that such action "is not only troubling but it is completely unacceptable". She further said that India's involvement if proven true would be "a great violation of our sovereignty and of the most basic rule of how countries deal with each other".[16]

On 19 September 2023, India expelled a top diplomat of Canada with five days' notice to leave the country amid "growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats" in India's "internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities", according to a statement from Indian Ministry of External Affairs.[17][18]

On 20 September 2023, India warned its citizens due to "growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence" to "exercise utmost caution" in Canada.[19][20] Dominic LeBlanc, Canadian public safety minister, responded to the travel alert saying "Canada is a safe country".[21]

On 21 September 2023, Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi announced that India has suspended "temporarily the issuance of visas or providing visa services" for all Canadian nationals in all categories, including e-visas and for Canadian citizens applying from third countries, due to "security threats" against its diplomats.[22][23]

On 24 September 2023, Canada updated its travel advisory for India, advising its citizens there to "remain vigilant and exercise caution" due to "calls for protests and some negative sentiment towards Canada on social media".[24] It urges travellers to "exercise a high degree of caution in India due to the threat of terrorist attacks throughout the country".[25]

In early October, India asked Canada to withdraw 41 of its 62 diplomats from the country and threatened to revoke the diplomatic immunity of diplomats who would remain after a certain date.[26][27] On 18 October 2023, 41 Canadian diplomats along with 42 of their family members left India.[28] Mélanie Joly, the Canadian foreign minister, said that Canada will temporarily close three consulates in India and concentrate services at its high commission in Delhi, with 21 diplomats remaining in India.[29] Canada's immigration minister, Marc Miller said that the situation would cause delays in the immigration applications and processing of visas for people in India.[29]

On 20 October 2023, India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement stating that "Their continued interference in our internal affairs warrant a parity in mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa".[30]

Reactions

A spokesperson for Australia's Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, stated that “Australia is deeply concerned by these allegations and notes ongoing investigations into this matter. Australia believes all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law”.[31]

A spokesperson for the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said that they "do not agree with the decisions taken by the Indian government that have resulted in a number of Canadian diplomats departing India". The statement added that they "continue to encourage India to engage with Canada on its independent investigation into the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar".[32]

The United States Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said that they "urged the Indian government not to insist upon a reduction in Canada's diplomatic presence and to cooperate in the ongoing Canadian investigation".[33]

The New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern in a statement saying “Now seems the time for more diplomacy, not less,” adding that it expects "all states to uphold their obligations under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, including in relation to the privileges and immunities of accredited staff”.[34][35]

According to Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center think-tank, "this may be the lowest level to which this relationship has sunk. It won't be easy to return to the old normal anytime soon".[36]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hardeep Singh Nijjar: Why Western nations fear India-Canada row". BBC News. 19 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Nijjar's killing to Trudeau's allegations: A timeline of how the India-Canada diplomatic row escalated". Financial Express. 21 September 2023.
  3. ^ "India-Canada row: Diplomatic standoff continues over Nijjar killing | 10 points". Livemint. 6 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Tensions are high between Canada and India. Here's why". CBC. 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2023-10-24. Trudeau accused India's government of potentially being involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar..The tensions are also fuelled by a larger disagreement over how Canada deals with supporters of the Khalistan movement. Indian officials have been concerned for a very long time that there are active advocates of an independent Khalistan homeland who reside in Canada
  5. ^ Mogul, Rhea (20 September 2023). "Canada and India are enmeshed in an unprecedented diplomatic row. Here's how it happened". CNN. allegation from Canada that the Indian government may have been behind the assassination of a Sikh separatist activist on Canadian soil has triggered a huge diplomatic row
  6. ^ "What is the Khalistan movement? How is it linked to India-Canada tensions?". aljazeera. 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2023-10-24. A row between India and Canada surrounding Sikh independence, commonly referred to as the Khalistan movement, continues to cause tensions.. Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of playing a role in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead in June in British Columbia state.
  7. ^ Mashal, Mujib; Kumar, Hari; Raj, Suhasini (19 September 2023). "Canada's Startling Claim Punctuates Tension With India Over Separatists". The New York Times.
  8. ^ "India summons Canada High Commissioner, concerned over Sikh protesters". Reuters. 26 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  9. ^ "Modi scolds Trudeau over Sikh protests in Canada against India". Reuters. 11 September 2023.
  10. ^ "In surprise move, Canada pauses talks on trade treaty with India". Reuters. 1 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Canada hits pause on trade mission to India after tensions at G20 summit". Al Jazeera. 15 September 2023.
  12. ^ a b Ling, Justin (19 September 2023). "Trudeau Says India Likely Behind Murder of Canadian Sikh Leader". Foreign Policy.
  13. ^ "Trudeau accuses India's government of involvement in killing of Canadian Sikh leader". CBC News. 18 September 2023.
  14. ^ Rajesh, Y. P.; Dayal, Sakshi (19 September 2023). "India rejects Canada's suspicions on role in Sikh leader's murder". Reuters.
  15. ^ Coletta, Amanda; Shih, Gerry; Mehrotra, Karishma (20 September 2023). "India expels Canadian diplomat as dispute over alleged assassination escalates". Washington Post.
  16. ^ a b "Canada has expelled a 'top' Indian diplomat. Who is Pavan Kumar Rai?". Global News. September 19, 2023.
  17. ^ "India expels Canadian diplomat, escalating tensions after Trudeau accuses India in Sikh's killing". AP News. 19 September 2023.
  18. ^ "In tit-for-tat move, India asks Canada diplomat to leave country in 5 days". Al Jazeera. 19 September 2023.
  19. ^ Tan, Clement (20 September 2023). "India urges 'utmost caution' in Canada travel advisory as bilateral crisis escalates". CNBC.
  20. ^ "India warns travellers to Canada of 'politically-condoned' violence as diplomatic row worsens". CBC News. 20 September 2023.
  21. ^ "Canada rejects Indian travel advisory amid probe of Sikh leader killing". Al Jazeera. 20 September 2023.
  22. ^ "India suspends visas for Canadian nationals as diplomatic spat deepens". CNN. 21 September 2023.
  23. ^ "India suspends 'all categories' of visas for Canada citizens amid diplomatic row". The Independent. 21 September 2023.
  24. ^ "Canada warns its citizens to 'remain vigilant' in India travel advisory". The Independent. 26 September 2023.
  25. ^ "Canada travel advisory to India updated to include protests, 'negative sentiments'". CTVNews. 25 September 2023.
  26. ^ Sevastopulo, Demetri (3 October 2023). "India tells Canada to withdraw dozens of diplomatic staff". Financial Times.
  27. ^ "India tells Canada to remove 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country, an official says". AP News. 3 October 2023.
  28. ^ Coletta, Amanda (20 October 2023). "Canada withdraws diplomats after India threatens to revoke immunity". Washington Post.
  29. ^ a b Austen, Ian (19 October 2023). "Canada Pulls 41 Diplomats as India Threatens to Revoke Their Immunity". The New York Times.
  30. ^ "India rejects Canada's accusation that it violated international norms in their diplomatic spat". AP News. 20 October 2023.
  31. ^ "'Deeply Concerned': US, UK & Australia React After Canada Accuses India Of Killing Khalistani Leader Nijjar". Free Press Journal. September 19, 2023.
  32. ^ "After U.K., U.S. expresses concern over departure of Canadian diplomats from India". The Hindu. 21 October 2023.
  33. ^ Singh, Kanishka; Pitas, Costas (21 October 2023). "US and UK back Canada in dispute with India over diplomats". Reuters.
  34. ^ Haidar, Suhasini (26 October 2023). "After U.S., U.K., Australia, Five eyes member New Zealand too criticises India on order expelling Canadian diplomats". The Hindu.
  35. ^ "New Zealand joins Five Eyes partners in criticising India over threat to revoke diplomatic privileges". RNZ. 27 October 2023.
  36. ^ "How Canada-India Relations Crumbled". TIME. 19 September 2023.
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