Relations between India and Canada are under serious strain as the two countries retaliate by expelling diplomats and leveling accusations at each other.
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| India-Canada relations have been severely strained since the murder of a Canadian citizen in 2023. (Source: Business-standard) |
India recalls ambassador to Canada
On October 14, AFP news agency reported that New Delhi announced it would recall Ambassador to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma because Ottawa is investigating Mr. Verma and other Indian diplomats for "suspected" involvement in the murder of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023.
"We no longer have confidence in the commitment of the present Canadian government to ensure the security of its diplomats. Therefore, the Indian government has decided to recall the High Commissioner along with the diplomats and other officials under investigation," the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
The ministry affirmed that Ambassador Sanjay Kumar Verma, former Ambassador to Japan and Sudan, was a respected professional diplomat and the allegations against him were "ridiculous and contemptible".
Also on October 14, India expelled six top Canadian diplomats, including Ottawa’s acting high commissioner Stewart Wheeler, immediately following the move. These diplomats were asked to leave India by or before 11:59 p.m. on October 19 (local time).
Canada expels Indian diplomats
On October 14, Reuters news agency quoted a government source as saying that Canada had expelled six Indian diplomats and asked them to leave the North American country by 11:59 p.m. on October 19 (local time).
The expulsions reportedly came after investigations by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) revealed that Indian diplomatic and consular officials stationed in Canada had used their official positions to engage in "dark activities" orchestrated by agents of the Indian government.
The RCMT added that the Indian government collected information through its officials in the country and this information was then used by them to target members of the South Asian community here.
Global News quoted Canada's Charge d'Affaires to India, Stewart Wheeler, as saying that Ottawa has provided New Delhi with credible and irrefutable evidence linking Indian government agents to the murder of a Canadian citizen last year.
According to the newspaper, it is time for India to act on its word and look into the allegations. However, New Delhi has repeatedly said that Canada has not shared any evidence to back its claims.
Why?
The diplomatic tension between India and Canada began with a statement by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the country's Parliament in September 2023.
At the time, Mr. Trudeau said there were "credible allegations" linking Indian agents to the June 2023 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an Indian-Canadian citizen and leader of the Sikh separatist movement in Canada, Khakistan. This person is considered a terrorist by India.
The incident has severely damaged diplomatic relations between Ottawa and New Delhi, with India calling the allegations “baseless and motivated.” Since then, the two countries have exchanged a number of statements and retaliatory actions.
On October 13, India continued to call the allegations of its involvement in the murder a "political smear strategy against New Delhi."
Last year, India temporarily restricted visas for Canadian citizens and forced Ottawa to withdraw diplomats, while this time, New Delhi has threatened further action.
India's recall of its ambassador to Canada is a major escalation in the tense relationship between the two countries. Following the incident, Prime Minister Trudeau on October 14 called New Delhi's actions "fundamentally wrong" and "unacceptable".
For its part, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying that the country "reserves the right to take further steps in response to Ottawa's latest attempts to fabricate allegations against our diplomats."
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