India and Canada’s relationship is at its worst point ever. Both countries kicked out each other’s top diplomats after Canada accused India of being involved in the killing of a Sikh leader in Canada.
The leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, supported a movement for a separate Sikh homeland called Khalistan, which India considers a terrorist group.
The tensions reached a new level when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian agents might have been behind the assassination. India strongly denied these claims, calling them ridiculous.
Historically, India and Canada have had issues, like when India tested a nuclear bomb in 1974 using materials Canada gave for peaceful use.
Canada was very upset, but they didn’t go as far as expelling diplomats back then like they did now. According to BBC, relations between the two countries have now hit rock bottom.
Canada has one of the largest Sikh populations outside India, with about 770,000 Sikhs, and many of them support the Khalistan movement. India has long been unhappy with how Canada deals with these separatists.
Canadian police are investigating Indian agents for crimes against pro-Khalistan supporters, including murder and extortion. BBC reports that this investigation has created a lot of tension.
Relations between the two countries have been shaky for a while, especially after Trudeau showed support for Indian farmers protesting their government in 2020. India criticized Trudeau for interfering in its domestic issues.
Experts told BBC that the current situation shows how much worse things have gotten, as the accusations are more serious than anything in the past.
Even though things look bad right now, BBC notes that both countries have strong ties due to trade and the large Indian community living in Canada.
About 1.3 million people in Canada are of Indian origin, and trade between the two countries is significant.
However, experts believe that the relationship won’t improve much under Trudeau’s government, especially with elections coming up next year.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89lne2k87vo