"India Accused of Killing Citizen in Canada" vs "Baseless Claim"... India-Canada Relations Deteriorate (Summary)

Canadian Prime Minister Claims "Indian Government Agent Behind Murder"
Sikh Independence Issue in India Sparks Controversy
Indian Prime Minister Says "Canada Tolerates Anti-India Actions"

The Canadian government strongly criticized the Indian government in June, accusing Indian officials of being behind the assassination of a Sikh leader on Canadian soil. The Indian government vehemently denied the "absurd allegations." Amid this unprecedented public criticism, relations between the two countries have rapidly deteriorated, raising concerns that the conflict will not be easily resolved, especially as trade negotiations, resumed after 10 years, have also been suspended.

On the 9th (local time), in New Delhi, India, where the Group of Twenty (G20) summit was held, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (left in the photo) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are greeting each other. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Why Did Canada Expel an Indian Diplomat?

On the 18th (local time), according to Bloomberg and CNN, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in a message to the House of Commons that credible claims have emerged implicating Indian government officials in the assassination of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in front of a temple in Surrey, British Columbia, last June.

At the time, Nijjar was shot and killed by masked armed assailants who were in a truck outside the Sikh temple.

Prime Minister Trudeau said, "Over the past few weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively investigating a potential link between Indian government officials and the murder of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar," adding that the government will make every effort necessary to apprehend the suspects.

He further stated, "Canada has expressed deep concerns to senior Indian intelligence and security officials," and conveyed this to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to New Delhi for the G20 summit. He emphasized, "It is an unacceptable violation of sovereignty for a foreign government to be involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil," calling it "a very serious matter."

Following Trudeau's announcement, the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the expulsion of a diplomat, who was the head of a foreign intelligence agency stationed in Canada.

A banner featuring a photo of Sikh leader Hardip Singh Nijjar is hung outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

In response to these claims by the Canadian government, India issued a statement through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, calling the allegations that the Indian government was involved in a specific incident in Canada "absurd and motivated." India accused Canada of making these baseless claims to divert attention from providing sanctuary to terrorists and extremists, urging the Canadian government to take immediate and effective legal action against anti-India activities occurring on its territory.

Sikhs Calling for 'Independence from India'... Modi Protests to Trudeau

The conflict between India and Canada stems from the recognition of Sikhs in Canada. Sikhism is a religion that developed in the Punjab region of India between the 15th and 18th centuries. India is sensitive to this religion because radical Sikh groups advocate for the establishment of an independent state separate from India, centered in northern Punjab.

Sikhism, which blends Hindu and Islamic beliefs, is estimated to have about 30 million followers worldwide. The Indo-Canadian population is estimated to be between 1.4 and 1.8 million, most of whom are Sikhs. Apart from Punjab in India, Canada is the place where Sikhs are most densely concentrated.

The assassination victim, Nijjar, was a prominent Sikh leader in British Columbia who advocated for the creation of Khalistan (meaning "Land of the Pure" in Punjabi), an independent Sikh state including parts of Punjab where Sikhism originated. India had listed him as a terrorist several years ago.

Since Nijjar's assassination, Sikhs have gathered in the streets of Toronto since July to protest against the Indian government. Prime Minister Modi has protested to Prime Minister Trudeau multiple times, but Trudeau has maintained a stance of protecting freedom of expression, conscience, and peaceful protest. In response, Modi publicly criticized Trudeau for tolerating anti-India activities by Canadian extremists.

Trade Negotiations Resumed After 10 Years Also Suspended

As the situation worsened, India and Canada have suspended trade negotiations that had resumed after 10 years.

In May, the commerce ministers of India and Canada, who discussed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), are sitting side by side with smiles. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

India and Canada resumed free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations in March last year after a 10-year hiatus and continued talks until July. In May, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal visited Canada and expressed optimism about signing an initial agreement focused on certain industries rather than the entire economy, saying it would not take "several years" to conclude.

During this period, bilateral trade increased from $7 billion in the 2021?2022 fiscal year (April 2021?March 2022) to $8.16 billion in the 2022?2023 fiscal year (April 2022?March 2023).

However, recently, India and Canada announced that their FTA negotiations have been suspended for political reasons. The Canadian government postponed a planned visit by the FTA negotiation team to India next month. Although neither side specified detailed reasons, foreign media have assessed that the Sikh issue was the trigger.

Prime Ministers Modi and Trudeau also engaged in a tense exchange during the G20 summit held in India on the 10th and 11th. Modi held bilateral meetings with most leaders during the G20 summit hosted by India but did not hold a separate meeting with Trudeau.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.