The recent death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar had become a significant source of controversy between Canada and India, with both nations removing one diplomat each after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian government operatives of being involved in the execution of the Khalistani terrorist on Canadian soil. On Tuesday (September 19), India dismissed a senior Canadian diplomat, only hours after Canada did the same. The tit-for-tat steps represent a considerable strain in bilateral relations, coming at a time when India is already frustrated with Canada’s apparent passivity towards Sikh separatists advocating for an independent nation known as Khalistan.
“This will certainly strain the relationship further, especially considering that the statement comes from the top leadership of Canada”
India’s foreign ministry swiftly condemned the Canadian government’s claims, characterizing them as unprecedentedly low in the historically friendly ties. “This will certainly strain the relationship further, especially considering that the statement comes from the top leadership of Canada without substantial proof. Canada’s response to the protests also appears to be a knee-jerk reaction without much thought. India, in this situation, has legitimate concerns. If the Indian embassy is being attacked, the country has the sovereign right to register its protest, and that’s precisely what India has done. However, Canada has failed to recognize this,” Dr Dhananjay Tripathi, Associate professor and Chairperson at the Department of International Relations, South Asian University, New Delhi, told media.
“If we compare it with the pro-Khalistan protest that took place in the UK, the government there dealt with it very sensibly. Canada bears a similar responsibility to ensure that such violence does not occur on its soil. Unfortunately, instances of violence have occurred in Canada and have been seemingly overlooked by Canadian authorities,” he added.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in a shootout in Surrey, British Columbia
With 1.4 million Indian-origin people in a population of 40 million, Canada has one of the world’s largest Indian-origin groups. In the 2021 census, around 770,000 people listed Sikhism as their religion, making Canada the country with the largest Sikh population outside of Punjab, India’s original state. India has regularly expressed its worries to Canadian governments about the activities of Sikh hardliners among the Indian diaspora. According to India, these individuals are aiming to revive separatist sentiments. In June, India’s foreign minister chastised Canada for allowing a parade float depicting the death of then-Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her bodyguards in 1984. Sikh separatists saw this as a celebration of bloodshed.
In 2018, Prime Minister Trudeau told India that Canada would not back anyone attempting to rekindle an Indian separatist movement. He has, however, constantly emphasized his support for the right to free expression and assembly, particularly among those exercising their democratic rights. Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in a shooting outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18. Nijjar was a member of the illegal Indian separatist organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Following Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the SFJ founder branded a terrorist by India, he held the rank of ‘Number 2’ inside the SFJ leadership.
Nijjar’s ancestors can be traced back to the Jalandhar village of Bharsingh Pura, and he immigrated to Canada in 1996. Despite initially working as a plumber in Canada, Nijjar’s financial status has greatly improved in recent years as a result of his active participation in pro-Khalistan activities. Nijjar’s involvement in terrorist acts began with his membership in the Babbar Khalsa International organization, which was led by Jagtar Singh Tara. He later founded his own organization, the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). He was charged with more than ten FIRs for his participation in discovering, connecting, training, and providing financial support to Khalistani cells in India.
The Canadian media reported that Ottawa has requested a temporary stop in trade negotiations ahead of the just-finished G20 Summit in Delhi
Piyush Goyal, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister, has stated that ongoing trade talks with Canada have come to a halt due to disagreements on key issues. Goyal made this statement immediately after Canada postponed a planned trade mission visit to Mumbai in October. The Canadian media reported that Ottawa has requested a temporary stop in trade negotiations ahead of the just-finished G20 Summit in Delhi. Following their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit on September 10, Modi and Trudeau released a strongly worded statement.
“He (Modi) conveyed our strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada. They are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a readout of the meeting. “The nexus of such forces with organized crime, drug syndicates, and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well. It is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats,” the MEA said. “The Prime Minister highlighted that India-Canada relations are anchored in shared democratic values, respect for rule of law and strong people-to-people ties,” it said.
Asked about India’s concerns, Trudeau had said at a press conference: “Canada will always defend freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, and freedom of peaceful protest, and it is extremely important to us… At the same time, we are always there to prevent violence and to push back against hatred. I think, on the issue of the community, it is important to remember that the actions of a few do not represent the entire community or Canada”.
The terrorist group Babbar Khalsa has been blamed for the incident
India and Canada have extensive trading relations. India will be Canada’s tenth-largest trading partner by 2022. Furthermore, according to the Canadian government, India has been Canada’s top source of international students since 2018. India’s total exports to Canada totaled $4.10 billion in fiscal year 2022-23, up from $3.76 billion in fiscal year 2021-22. In contrast, India’s imports from Canada increased to $4.05 billion in 2022-23, up from $3.13 billion in 2021-22. The controversy over Nijjar’s death is simply the most recent in a long line of incidents involving Sikh separatism, which peaked in the 1980s with the Kanishka plane bombing, in which a Boeing 747 departed from Toronto, Canada, en route to Mumbai, India, as Air India.
It stopped in Montreal, Canada, before continuing on to London, where it was meant to connect to its final destination, Mumbai. Tragically, the plane never made it to London; it was destroyed in mid-air off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 passengers and crew members on board. The terrorist group Babbar Khalsa has been blamed for the incident, but the International Sikh Youth Federation was also named by the Canadian Commission of Inquiry. According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, it is Canada’s most destructive air disaster and the country’s most severe act of terrorism. Talwinder Singh Parmar, the suspected mastermind, was never convicted; instead, he was assassinated by the Punjab Police in 1992.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper established a committee to investigate the bombings in 2006. The second assessment, released in 2010, highlighted numerous security shortcomings and errors by Canadians that contributed to the bombing. With both sides digging in their heels, the Sikh separatist movement is back in the news, threatening to exacerbate the two countries’ already strained relations.