A sword battle has begun between India and Canada, as India has expelled six diplomats and withdrawn six of its diplomats, following Canada's designation of the Indian ambassador and other diplomats as "persons of interest" in their investigation into the assassination of pro-Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Indian officials have dismissed Canada's actions as "preposterous" and reflective of the political agenda of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.
But where did it all begin?
Let's take a look at how India-Canada's diplomatic relations worsened:
The series of events leading to the current state of affairs began with the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia on June 18, 2023, which India had previously classified as a terrorist.
Najjar was a Khalistani separatist who was killed in Canada in June 2023. He was a Canadian citizen but was recognised as a terrorist in India. Nijjar supported the Khalistan movement, which aims to establish an independent Sikh state and is illegal in India. Khalistani separatists advocate for an unofficial referendum to gain support for this separate state.
The situation intensified over the following months:
- In September, during the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Trudeau discussed his government's investigation into allegations of Indian government involvement in Nijjar's killing.
- Later that month, both nations engaged in a tit-for-tat expulsion of diplomats.
- By late September, India suspended issuing new visas to Canadian nationals, leading to brief diplomatic strains.
India has repeatedly asked the Canadian government for evidence to support its claims regarding the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Last year, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that India was open to an investigation but requested Canada to provide proof of its allegations that Indian government agents were involved in Nijjar's death.
In response, Canada insists that it has already given India evidence showing connections between agents of the Indian government and violent acts, including homicides.
What is happening at present?
The ongoing dispute escalated further following the RCMP's recent statements, asserting that agents of the Indian government had orchestrated violent acts against members of the South Asian community in Canada. These allegations have been met with vehement denials from Indian authorities.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have claimed to possess substantial evidence of criminal activities allegedly orchestrated by agents of the Indian government, pointing to an increasing pattern of intimidation directed at members of the South Asian community in Canada.
India has vehemently rejected these accusations, calling them "absurd." The relationship between India and Canada has been deteriorating since Trudeau's announcement last year divulging evidence that linked Indian agents to Nijjar's assassination in Canada.