Over the past several months, relations between India and Canada have significantly soured, primarily since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made several allegations against the Indian government. In September 2023, Mr. Trudeau said that Indian agents had a role in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the leader of Sikh separatism in Canada, claiming that Indian government agencies were involved in his murder. This statement led to a diplomatic storm between the two countries. The tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats and heavy-handed restrictions on visa processing for Canadians travelling to India followed.
India responded by outright denial of the allegations as unfounded and blamed Canada for giving shelter to Sikh separatist groups that support the Khalistan movement-an independent Sikh state within the Indian state of Punjab. This has been a contentious issue between the two countries for long because India perceives such groups as giving birth to terrorism and extremism, whereas Canada has been lenient in allowing their activities, under freedom of speech and expression.
The tensions reached a high during the G20 summit in New Delhi in September 2023, when it was quite evident that there was a strained interaction between Trudeau and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi pointed out the anti-India activities that were being conducted in Canada, mainly through Sikh separatist groups. Immediately after the summit, Trudeau revealed that the Canadian intelligence was following serious leads on India’s involvement in the killing of Nijjar, which worsened the diplomatic situation.
Both countries escalated the act against each other’s diplomats after the diplomatic crisis. In October 2023, India compelled Canada to withdraw two-thirds of its diplomats from the country by withdrawing diplomatic immunity from them. This move was condemned by Canada, but it tried a resolution through further private talks with India.
More than mere diplomacy has been impacted by the contentious relationship. Visa services to Indians for Canada were canceled, rendering travel complicated for Indian Canadians especially during the wedding season—a peak travel time. The economic and trade relationship between the two countries has also suffered, with negotiations on a free trade agreement having been held in limbo indefinitely since September 2023.
Beyond the Nijjar incident, there seems to be a bigger story of foreign interference. Canada had already made India one of the nations that allegedly meddles in political activities on its soil. This is amid a broader concern in Canadian politics regarding the influence that foreign actors exert in its elections and civic life. India has firmly denied it.
Despite these tensions, both countries still have an interest in maintaining a working relationship. Canada has a sizeable Indian diaspora and the economic ties between the two countries, including pharmaceutical trade, technology, and education, remain significant. However, the long-standing friction over Sikh separatism and now the serious accusations regarding Nijjar’s death have pushed the bilateral relationship to one of its lowest points in decades.
Behind the scenes, diplomatic efforts are still continuing, but the situation is fragile. The murder case of Nijjar in Canada is pressing for the full investigation and inquiry with India, but India says it has nothing to do with the incident and desires to address the support to Sikh separatist movements received in Canada. For the present, this diplomatic row would continue to determine the destiny of India-Canada relationships, and these would start affecting the global position and international alliances of both nations as well.
