In a development that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has publicly asserted the existence of “credible” evidence linking Indian government agents to the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia this past June. This revelation has further exacerbated already tenuous bilateral relations between Canada and India, as the Indian government vehemently denies these allegations, branding them as “absurd and motivated.”
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a vocal advocate for an independent Sikh nation known as Khalistan, was tragically shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. He had been designated as a “terrorist” by Indian authorities in July 2020 and had been previously warned about threats against his life by Canada’s intelligence agency. The incident has rekindled historical tensions related to the Khalistan separatist movement, which witnessed violent upheavals in India’s Punjab state during the 1980s and early 1990s.
Canada, home to a substantial overseas Indian community of approximately 1.4 million, including around 770,000 Sikhs, now finds itself at the epicenter of this diplomatic storm. The largest population of Sikhs outside of Punjab resides in Canada, making it a focal point for Indian concerns regarding the activities of Sikh hardliners among the Indian diaspora, whom India accuses of attempting to revive the insurgency.
While Canada and India had been working toward a potential trade deal earlier this year, these recent allegations have resulted in the suspension of talks, with Canada citing “certain political developments” as the reason. India, Canada’s tenth-largest trading partner, is keen on fostering a trade agreement that has been in the works for over a decade. However, trade between the two nations in 2022 amounted to just C$13.7 billion out of Canada’s total trade volume of C$1.52 trillion, according to Statistics Canada.
In response to the allegations, the Indian government has urged Prime Minister Trudeau to take action against what they term “anti-India elements” operating within Canada. This development threatens to cast a shadow over the prospect of a fruitful Canada-India relationship in the near future.
