India Expels 6 Canadian Diplomats Amid Escalating Tensions Over Khalistani Leader’s Murder: Latest Updates
4 min read
On the day of October 14th, 2024, the state of affairs in relations between India and Canada turned turbulent. The team of six Canadian diplomats was asked to leave India, and the Indian High Commissioner in Ottawa was recalled. Relations between these two countries have soured owing to the recent tensions that arose from the allegations against India for influencing the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent supporter of the Khalistani movement in Canada. This diplomatic crisis has emerged as one central to international politics and the relations between the two nations affected. Here is the chronology of the events and their consequences:
Why India Expelled Canadian Diplomats
A state order to expire a number of Canadian diplomatic missions followed the declaration of the Canadian head of government Justin Trudeau over the accusations against India in connection with the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, known to have been in June of 2023. Nijjar, a Canadian national and a key Khalistani leader campaigning for an independent Sikh republic, was gunned down around the precincts of a Sikh gurdwara in the province of British Columbia. Afterward, Trudeau claimed that the Indian Government’s agents were responsible for Mr. Nisjjar’s murder which caused deep diplomatic outrage.
India has dismissed the accusation with clemency. They termed the allegations against the country as ‘false’ aiming to advance the Canadian Prime Minister’s agenda to court certain segments of voters. Frustrated over what it refers to as a “political vendetta”, New Delhi ordered to cut back on Canadian diplomatic staff members in India, deporting six such diplomats. Expelled diplomats are Stewart Ross Wheeler, the acting High Commissioner, and other senior officers. They were given time to exit India by October 19, 2024.
Canada’s Response and Background
Following India’s move, now also it is reported by the media that six more indian diplomats have been expelled from ottawa. In this context, it is noteworthy that Canada is actively cooperating with authorities of India in the investigation, in particular allegations against Canadian citizens of Sikh origin committing violent acts against civilians and Kher Singh. The evidence was brought before the parliament by members of the governing party who have received information from the RCMP. However, India has scoffed off these claims and pressed for proof to be produced stating that these charges were simply a political witch hunt.
Within the purview of the Nijjar treaty and general dealings with the amicable nation of Canada, this has also stressed the fact that both nations differ on Khalistan’s secessionism, more so political gurus of that movement matter not southern bastions of the Indian diaspora. India has argued that radical Khalistani supporters in Canada have championed the cause of separatism and terrorism against India.
Diplomatic Fallout and Escalation
This recent diplomatic spat between India and Canada comes months after the previous one. In September 2023, Trudeau for the first time made public statements assuming Indian authorities of Nijjar’s assassination further. After that, with time, the diplomatic ties continued to worsen with both countries reducing the level of diplomatic representation.
In October 2024, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urged Canada to ‘shelter physical extremists and terrorists’ threatening Indian diplomats, as reported by the MEA. To that end, the Indian government has insisted on the protection of its diplomats, which eventually led to the ‘voluntary’ withdrawal from Canada of its High Commissioner and several other diplomats.
Broader Implications
This diplomatic fias not only has cost to renew and strengthen India Canada relations but has put doubts on bilateral cooperation in other spheres as well. Trade negotiations, which seemed to be possible between the countries, remained only in the projects. In addition, trips of citizens of both countries to each other have also been warned due to the growing enmity between the two countries.
For Canada, this problem also brings internal complications. The Khalistan movement, although not an expansive one in Canada, has a certain support base within a sect of the Sikh community. Trudeau’s administration has been said to stoop down to these politics, for instance, Canada’s liberal government rests on the New Democratic Party (NDP) and its Khalistan supporting leader Jagmeet Singh.
In the case of India, the issue of Khalistan concerns its very integrity and security. Since the 1980s, the country has been in the active quest to quell dissident factions and their ideologies and such external encouragement is treated as an unprovoked attack against India. Canada has been petitioned on numerous occasions by the Indian Government to act more decisively against its citizens who offer support for Khalistan groups in Canada.
What Lies Ahead?
The India-Canada relations for the short and perhaps even long-term will remain precarious. There has however been a “cooling” off between the two countries as both have made steps toward reducing the diplomatic mission of the other. In the meantime, the expulsion of diplomats and the recall of ambassadors represent the most extreme situation in the relationship between a few countries in today’s world and in ancient history.
Conclusion
The recent move by India to expel six Canadian diplomats and the withdrawal of its High Commissioner to Canada is a pointer to the looming diplomatic tiff between the two countries. The murder allegations made regarding Nijjar along with the existing issues with the Khalistan movement have led the relations between India and Canada to their lowest level ever. It is still an open question how the two countries will, if at all, repair relations in the future after all this.
