Canada-India relations: Diplomatic disaster in the offing!

Ottawa/New Delhi: With the expulsion of 6 Canadian diplomats by  Govt. of India following  Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s open allegations of India’s  involvement in killing of  pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Gurudwara in  Surrey in June  last year,  relations between two major democracies of the world,  are moving from  friendship to  diplomatic fracas.  Nijjar was an India born Sikh migrant to Canada, who actively propagated Khalistani separatism  in Punjab (India) during the last  many years.  He had migrated in 1997 and became Canadian citizen in 2007 and later joined pro-Khalistani, homeland movement  there.  It is noteworthy that Canada has a sizeable Indian/punjabi  (about 19  lakhs),  and Sikh population (800,000) , mostly working in farms and are second-third  generation land owners. They now have 18 Sikh party  pariamentarians and  form a crucial support group in Justin Trudeau govt.

As the stability of Liberal Party led Canadian govt. of Justin  Trudeau is dependent on Sikh faction’s  support,  he has been espousing their  ‘separatist campaign and dubious cause’ vehemently over the past 3 years. Canadian Sikh party (New Democratic Party) leader Jagmeet Singh had recently resigned his ministerial post, perhaps  to pressurise  Trudeau  government to   vociferously  blame  GOI on Nijjar killing and  help build up  Sikh  homeland campaign.

Meanwhile,  India have also recalled 6 of  her diplomats  from Canada due to their names being mentioned in the probe list. Indian  High  Commission  and  diplomats have been targetted by  anti-India agitationers  for the last 2-3 years.  Anti-India tirade may increase in the coming months due to parliamentary elections there next year and Liberal Party’s dependence on Sikh/punjabi population votes. (pic credit-Goodreturns).

Apart  from internal  politics of  Canada,  most western countries are at odds with India due to its neutral stand in Russia-Ukraine war during the last 2 years, as also buying cheaper fuels from Russia or elsewhere. India has stuck to its decsion to buy Russian crude oil as that  comes cheaper and paid   in Indian  currency.

As Canada is a close ally of United Sates and western block,  the developing diplomatic discord may also disturb India’s relations with America and its NATO allies, mainly Britain, Germany, Turkiye, Australia.  Many other anti-India countries like China,  Qatar, Pakistan, Bangladesh  would be in glee seeing  India in troubled waters. MEA will have a difficult task  maintaining its diplomatic  gains achieved by PM Modi-MEA  Jaishankar team-up  over the last 10 years.

As the world is tangled in multiple regional conflicts viz., Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Hizbullah-Palestine-Iran, Pakistan-Afghanistan, China-Taiwan-Pecific rim conflict,  maintaining  good diplomatic balance has been  the most tedious task for any  practitioner of geopolitical  relations.

Let us hope for a better wisedom  and cordial diplomacy prevail  upon the  power wielder leaders for  Global Peace !                                                                                     –Editor