India Canada Relationship in Trouble?
Hours after Canada expelled senior Indian diplomat Pavan Kumar Rai—alleging the Indian government's role in killing pro-Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar—India has expelled a senior Canadian dipl
Recently the G20 Summit was held in India and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau had also come for the summit. However that time PM Narendra Modi had scolded Trudeau over Sikh protests in Canada against India. He had said that the Khalistan protests in the Canada were wrong and the Canadian government must take action against this. However Justin Trudeau said at a press conference in New Delhi, “Canada responded by saying Canada will always defend "freedom of expression, freedom of conscience and peaceful protest." After this India Canada relations had become very sour.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was gunned down on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey in British Columbia, Canada. His death triggered widespread speculations since he was the third Khalistani activist to be allegedly killed abroad within 45 days. While the Canadian Sikh diaspora reportedly hails Nijjar as a leader and political activist, the Indian government previously designated him a terrorist. It had also announced a Rs. 10 lakh reward for his arrest. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that the murder of an Indian separatist leader in the other country is ‘extremely serious’. He alleged the Indian government's role in killing Hardeep Singh Nijjar and expelled senior Indian diplomat Pavan Kumar Rai. Trudeua alleged that he is involved in Nijjar’s murder. India described the claims as "absurd and motivated."
Rai is the head of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) in Canada. Hours after Canada expelled senior Indian diplomat Pavan Kumar Rai, India has expelled a senior Canadian diplomat. On Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned the High Commissioner of Canada to India, Cameron MacKay. It informed him about the decision to expel the Canadian diplomat based in India. To note, the MEA statement did not name the Canadian diplomat expelled. However, citing sources, the official asked to leave the country could be the Canadian intelligence agency station chief in India, Olivier Sylvestere. The diplomat has been asked to leave India within five days. The Canadian Prime Minister sought the support of many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, to raise the issue but was snubbed by everyone fearing diplomatic backlash from India, one of the fastest growing countries in the world and regarded as a potential counterweight to an increasingly assertive China.
