India-Canada row: Diplomatic standoff continues; specialists say ‘relationship in deep disaster’ | 10 factors

India-Canada row: The ties between India and Canada have been strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September alleged the involvement of “brokers of the Indian authorities” within the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June this 12 months. India then again has rejected the claims and referred to as the allegations as “absurd and motivated.” Since then Ottawa and New Delhi introduced tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats within the wake of Trudeau’s allegation of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s killing. India additionally briefly suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian residents and requested Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence within the nation to make sure parity. Canada has withdrawn 41 diplomats and their members of the family from India.

Listed below are 10 factors to know in regards to the India-Canada row

1. On 5 November, Indian Excessive Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma reiterated New Delhi’s stand on the diplomatic standoff with Canada, urging Ottawa to launch proof backing up its allegation relating to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

2. He mentioned that India has not been proven concrete proof by Canada or its allies about India’s alleged involvement within the Nijjar killing, ANI reported. The Indian envoy additionally famous that New Delhi has made 26 requests to Ottawa over the previous 5 – 6 years to extradite folks from Canada to India.

3. Designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the founding father of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in a video launched requested Sikhs to to not fly in Air India plane after November 19, as their lives may be below risk. “We’re asking the Sikh folks to not fly by way of Air India. From November 19, there will likely be a world blockade. Air India will not be allowed to function. Sikh folks, do not journey by Air India after November 19. Your life may be in peril,” Pannun mentioned within the video that’s circulating on social media. He additionally claimed that Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Worldwide (IGI) Airport would stay shut on 19 November and renamed when Punjab was ‘liberated’.

4. Indian officers requested Canada to reinforce safety for Air India flights amid threats issued by the pro-Khalistan Sikhs for Justice group. Chatting with Hindustan Occasions, Indian Excessive Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma mentioned, “We will take up the risk towards Air India flights originating from and terminating in Canada, with the involved Canadian authorities.” Air India at present operates a number of flights per week from Delhi to Vancouver and Toronto.

5. After suspending visa companies, India resumed partial visa companies for Canadians from 26 October, the Indian Embassy in Ottawa introduced. The companies was resumed for 4 classes entry, enterprise, medical and convention visas. Visa companies together with vacationers, employment, college students, movie, missionaries and journalists nonetheless stay suspended.

6. Canada has the biggest Sikh inhabitants outdoors Punjab, with 770,000 folks reporting Sikhism as their faith within the 2021 census. India is by far Canada’s largest supply of international college students, accounting for 40 p.c of examine allow holders – a significant supply for Canada’s fast-growing worldwide schooling enterprise, contributing over C$20 billion ($15 billion) to the financial system yearly.

Additionally Learn: HTLS 2023: Jaishankar says there’s room for diplomacy to handle India-Canada row

7. Officers and specialists have mentioned that mending frayed diplomatic relations between India and Canada will likely be a protracted course of after all sides adopted maximalist positions, regardless of New Delhi’s shock transfer to ease some visa curbs on Canadians, as reported by Reuters. Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute on the Wilson Middle in Washington instructed Reuters that “The connection is in deep disaster, maybe its worst ever.” “Both sides might have a powerful curiosity within the disaster not getting utterly uncontrolled, however that does not imply there are sturdy incentives to resolve the disaster.”

8. Ajay Bisaria who was labored as India’s ambassador to Canada from 2020 to 2022 instructed Reuters that the connection is in a “de-escalation section” following “quiet diplomacy”. Even with the reprieve, the visa curbs are anticipated to hinder the motion of tens of 1000’s of Indians and folks of Indian origin who dwell in Canada or plan to review there.

9. Talking on the India Canada FTA, Minister of Commerce and Trade Piyush Goyal just lately mentioned that FTA discussions between India and Canada have been halted after the North American nation stopped talks on account of baseless misconceptions, a transfer that can harm it greater than India.

10. Though each governments have spared enterprise and commerce hyperlinks, the acrimony has delayed discussions on a free-trade deal and threatens Group of Seven member Canada’s Indo-Pacific plans, the place New Delhi is important to efforts to test an more and more assertive China.

(With inputs from Reuters, PTI, ANI)

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Up to date: 06 Nov 2023, 02:28 PM IST

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