The diplomatic standoff began earlier this week when Canada expelled India’s high commissioner and five other diplomats.
The diplomatic standoff began earlier this week when Canada expelled India’s high commissioner and five other diplomats.
Canada’s Foreign Minister, Mélanie Joly, has issued a stern warning to Indian diplomats still present in Canada, stating they are "clearly on notice" not to endanger Canadian lives. This comes amid escalating tensions between the two nations over allegations of Indian involvement in the assassination of a Sikh separatist. Joly compared India’s actions to those of Russia, referencing instances of transnational repression seen in Europe.
The diplomatic standoff began earlier this week when Canada expelled India’s high commissioner and five other diplomats, accusing them of being linked to a violent campaign targeting Sikh separatists in the country. Joly emphasized that Canada would not tolerate any diplomats violating the Vienna Convention. The expulsions mainly impacted officials based in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has alleged that Indian diplomats shared information about Sikh activists with Indian authorities, which was then passed to organized crime groups. These groups are said to be involved in extortion, shootings, and the assassination of pro-Khalistan figures, including Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India, killed in British Columbia last year.
India has strongly denied these allegations, calling them "absurd." In response, India expelled six Canadian diplomats, including the acting high commissioner in New Delhi. Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, criticized Canada for harboring individuals wanted in India for terrorism-related charges and pointed to 26 pending extradition requests, some of which have been unresolved for over a decade.
Tensions between India and Canada have been on edge since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 2023 statement implying Indian agents' involvement in Nijjar’s murder. India has consistently accused Canada of allowing Khalistani separatists to operate freely, despite their links to terrorism in India. This long-standing issue has been a major point of contention in the bilateral relationship, with both sides now deeply entrenched in a diplomatic row.
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