In a move reflecting growing tensions between India and Canada, six Indian diplomats have been withdrawn from Canada, with High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma leading the group. The diplomats are scheduled to return to India by Saturday afternoon via different flights, with their itineraries being kept discreet to avoid potential threats. This decision comes in the wake of increased harassment by pro-Khalistani elements, allegedly supported by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.
India’s diplomatic presence in Canada will now be reduced to just nine officials. Meanwhile, Canada will still have 15 diplomats stationed in India, even after six Canadian diplomats were expelled by the Modi administration. Before this political fallout, India had 12 resident diplomats in Ottawa, while Canada had 62 resident diplomats in New Delhi.
Canada’s Alleged Targeting of Indian Diplomats
The unwritten diplomatic norm of avoiding targeting diplomats has been broken by the Canadian government, with many accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of using this situation to further his political agenda. Trudeau is expected to align with the pro-Khalistani New Democratic Party, led by Jagmeet Singh, while also aiming to gain favor with radical Sikh elements in Canada.
According to political analysts, Trudeau is attempting to garner support from other Canadian political parties by accusing India of involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist linked to the Khalistan Tiger Force, who was killed on June 18, 2023. This narrative seems designed to appease Trudeau’s radical Sikh voter base, particularly those who support the Khalistani movement.
To reinforce his position internationally, Trudeau has reportedly briefed the Five Eyes Alliance—an intelligence-sharing coalition comprising the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—on the situation. In addition, Pakistan’s influence appears to be at play, as its deep state allegedly collaborates with the National Council of Canadian Muslims to worsen India-Canada relations.
Political Survival Over Diplomatic Relations
Many Canada watchers believe that Trudeau, in a bid to preserve his political standing, will use Canada’s Foreign Interference Commission and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to accuse India of orchestrating Nijjar’s assassination.
“If it was such an open and shut case on Nijjar as Justin Trudeau has been stating, then why has the investigating agency, Royal Mounted Canadian Police, filed a charge-sheet till date? Why has the Canadian government not shared any evidence linking Indian agents with the murder of the Khalistan Tiger Force terrorist?” asked a senior Indian diplomat, raising significant questions about the Canadian narrative.
It appears that Trudeau’s government is banking on the statements made by pro-Khalistani legal counsel from the proscribed organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) before the Foreign Interference Commission. Notably, the inquiry does not seem to have allowed any counter-narrative or dissenting voices, raising concerns about its impartiality.
A Precarious Inquiry: One-Sided and Politically Charged
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau is set to testify before the Foreign Interference Commission on October 16, a day after the Canadian Safety Minister makes his appearance. Many Indian officials have condemned the inquiry as “one-sided” and a “sham,” intended solely to discredit India. “It is a one-sided inquiry… a sham… and the whole idea is to defame India and its government,” said a senior Indian security official.
Despite the lack of substantial evidence, Trudeau prematurely declared India guilty of foreign interference in the Nijjar murder case in the Canadian Parliament on September 18, 2023. Some analysts believe the next move will involve Canadian authorities convincing one of the four Sikh youths arrested for Nijjar’s murder to turn approver and provide testimony that implicates India. These individuals, all either Canadian citizens or asylum seekers, may find it advantageous to cooperate with Canadian authorities, especially since India would not have legal representation in the case.
Growing Threats to Indian Diplomats in Canada
The situation has become increasingly volatile, with pro-Khalistani groups in Canada escalating their threats against Indian diplomats. A bounty of half a million Canadian dollars has reportedly been placed on the head of High Commissioner Sanjay Verma. Just last Saturday, in Vancouver, these groups were seen “shooting and burning” an effigy of Verma during protests.
The Role of Foreign Interference in Domestic Canadian Politics
While Trudeau accuses India of meddling in Canada’s election process, there is evidence suggesting that Canadian diplomats in India have engaged in similar behavior. According to Indian intelligence, certain officials from the Canadian High Commission in Delhi and its consulate in Chandigarh were involved in covertly engaging with ruling political parties in Delhi and Punjab. These Canadian officials allegedly tried to stir unrest within the Sikh community in Punjab by supporting the so-called farmers’ movement and fostering narratives of human rights violations against the Modi government.
The diplomatic fallout between India and Canada reflects not just a breakdown in bilateral relations but also the increasing entanglement of domestic politics with foreign policy. As both nations navigate these turbulent waters, the broader geopolitical implications of their strained relationship remain to be seen.