In a startling turn of events, diplomatic relations between India and Canada have plummeted to their nadir, with India retaliating by expelling a senior Canadian diplomat. This move comes in response to what Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau referred to as “credible allegations” of Indian government involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistani separatist, on Canadian soil.
Prime Minister Trudeau, addressing an emergency parliamentary session, condemned the alleged Indian connection to the slaying of Nijjar in British Columbia, deeming it an “unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.” In the wake of these allegations, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly announced the expulsion of the head of Indian intelligence stationed in Canada, asserting that such a revelation, if substantiated, would constitute a grave infringement upon their sovereignty and the fundamental principles of international relations.
In a swift response, India summoned Canadian High Commissioner Cameron MacKay to convey its decision to expel a senior Canadian diplomat residing in India. The diplomat in question has been instructed to depart from Indian territory within the next five days.
This diplomatic maneuver by India underscores the government’s growing apprehension regarding the interference of Canadian diplomats in India’s internal affairs and their alleged involvement in activities detrimental to India’s interests.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India categorically rejected the allegations leveled by Prime Minister Trudeau, dismissing them as “absurd and motivated.” The MEA emphasized that similar accusations had been previously made by the Canadian Prime Minister to his Indian counterpart and had been unequivocally repudiated.
These developments have cast a pall over India-Canada relations, signaling a challenging period ahead for bilateral diplomacy as both nations grapple with the repercussions of these grave allegations.
