NEW DELHI: In a tit-for-tat move, India announced on Tuesday that it had expelled a Canadian diplomat, providing them with just a five-day notice to exit the country. This development came shortly after Canada expelled India’s top intelligence agent and accused the South Asian nation of involvement in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, escalating tensions between the two nations.
The dispute between India and Canada reached a new level on Monday when Canada declared that it was actively pursuing credible allegations linking Indian government agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia back in June.
India’s foreign ministry summoned the Canadian high commissioner, the equivalent of an ambassador, in New Delhi to convey the expulsion decision. The ministry stated, “The decision reflects the government of India’s growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities. The concerned diplomat has been asked to leave India within the next five days.”
Earlier on Tuesday, India dismissed Canada’s accusation as “absurd and motivated” and urged Canada to pursue legal action against anti-Indian elements operating from its soil.
The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, issued an emergency statement to the House of Commons, asserting that any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen constituted an “unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.” The victim, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was shot dead in June in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a significant Sikh population. Nijjar advocated for an independent Khalistani state and had been designated as a “terrorist” by India in July 2020.
Trudeau revealed that Canadian security agencies were actively investigating credible allegations of a potential link between Indian government agents and Nijjar’s death. He had raised the matter directly with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 summit in New Delhi the previous week, urging India to cooperate in resolving the issue.
On Monday, Canada also expelled India’s top intelligence agent in the country, according to Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, without disclosing further details. The Indian high commission in Ottawa did not comment on the matter.
These developments mark a significant escalation in tensions between Canada and India, with the latter expressing concern over Sikh separatist activities in Canada. Prime Minister Modi conveyed his apprehensions to Trudeau at the G20 summit regarding recent Sikh demonstrations in Canada advocating for an independent state.
Canada is home to the largest Sikh population outside of Punjab in India, with approximately 770,000 people identifying as Sikhs in the 2021 census.
The issue of Khalistan, an independent Sikh state, has been a longstanding one, with some Sikhs in various countries supporting the separatist demand. The United States and Australia expressed “deep concern” over Canada’s accusations, while Britain stated it was in close communication with Canadian authorities regarding the “serious allegations.”
India has been particularly sensitive to Sikh protests in Canada, with concerns that Ottawa does not take sufficient action against them due to the political influence of Sikhs in the country.
In June, India criticized Canada for allowing a parade float depicting the 1984 assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her bodyguards, which was perceived as glorification of violence by Sikh separatists.
Moreover, this diplomatic spat has cast a shadow over trade talks between the two nations, with Canada pausing discussions on a proposed trade treaty with India just months after both countries expressed their intent to finalize an initial agreement this year.
Notably, during the G20 summit, Prime Minister Modi did not hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Trudeau, despite meeting with other world leaders. Prior to this, pro-Khalistan graffiti had appeared in metro stations in the Indian capital, further exacerbating tensions.