Canada spat leads India newspapers as trade minister works to reassure business

OTTAWA – As Canada’s decision to expel New Delhi’s top envoy and five other diplomats makes front page news in India, International Trade Minister Mary Ng is trying to reassure Canadian businesses with ties to the country.

On Monday, the RCMP warned the public about a rash of crimes including murder, extortion and coercion that the force links to Indian government agents. The allegations sparked diplomatic retaliation; after Canada declared six Indian diplomats persona non grata, India ordered six Canadian envoys out of the country by Saturday.

Ng issued a statement acknowledging the “uncertainty” that Canadian businesses and investors may have as a result, and said the government will continue to support commercial and economic ties between the countries.

“However, we must consider our economic interests with the need to protect Canadians and uphold the rule of law,” she said. “We will not tolerate any foreign government threatening, extorting or harming Canadian citizens on our soil.”

Ng said the government remains “open to a dialogue” with India and looks forward to continuing a “valued relationship.”

The RCMP and other Canadian officials presented evidence to India earlier this past weekend, but they say New Delhi refused to co-operate in police investigations.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said that is why Canada declared the six diplomats persona non grata, which is one of the stiffest penalties Canada can impose under the Vienna Convention.

India insists it has not been given evidence of any government involvement in crimes in Canada, and it has ordered six Canadian diplomats to leave.

Vina Nadjibulla, research vice-president for the Asia Pacific Foundation, said she’s watching to see how Canada’s peers respond to the “unprecedented, extraordinary” news.

That could mean diplomatic moves behind the scenes, and possibly public statements of support for Canada.

“The reaction from the U.S. is going to be the one that everybody will be paying attention to,” she said.

“In order for Canada, at this stage, to have any kind of co-operation from India and seek accountability for what has happened, we would need India to feel some pressure; we would need India to feel some reason to co-operate.”

Nadjibulla said it was notable that Joly accused active diplomats of involvement in criminality, and that she said violence linked to the Indian government had only increased since Canada made its concerns public last year.

In September 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canadian intelligence services were investigating “credible” information about “a potential link” between India’s government and the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

Nadjibulla said Ottawa has now “very clearly and assertively” made its case, in sending senior officials this past weekend to present evidence to Indian counterparts.

“Canada did what it thought was necessary,” she said. “We are in uncharted territory, with implications for the diplomatic relationship as well as for Canada’s public safety and national security.”

Nadjibulla also said it’s rare for diplomats to be expelled over accusations of criminality. “We’re not dealing here with a rogue state; we’re dealing here with a very important international player,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Ottawa’s decision Monday to expel India’s top envoy and five other diplomats is just the latest development in tensions that have simmered for months between the two countries.

Here’s a look at what’s driving the chill between Canada and India.

Why is India mad at Canada?

India is a staunch opponent to the Khalistan separatist movement, in which some Sikhs advocate for an independent state called Khalistan to be carved out of Indian territory.

India says the prospect is unconstitutional and threatens the country’s national security. Ottawa has long stressed that it upholds India’s territorial integrity but won’t crack down on freedom of expression in Canada.

Khalistan supporters in Canada occasionally organize rallies and what they call referendum, which get little mainstream media attention in Canada but are the subject of emotive news reports in India. Organizers say India has persecuted them through decades, a claim New Delhi rejects.

Some Sikh temples have been found to be openly venerating people connected with acts of violence like the 1985 bombing of an Air India flight, which is the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history.

Did India kill a Canadian?

In September 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canadian intelligence services are investigating “credible” information about “a potential link” between India’s government and the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

New Delhi initially outright denied any involvement, before shifting to saying that extrajudicial killings are not state policy.

Meanwhile, American authorities last November unsealed an indictment alleging a murder-for-hire plot by an Indian national. The court file alleges an Indian government employee directed the attempted assassination in the United States, and spoke about others, including Nijjar’s killing in Canada.

This past May, police in Edmonton arrested three Indian nationals and charged them with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in Nijjar’s death.

India maintains that Canada has never shared evidence of the country’s involvement in the homicide, though Trudeau said Monday that Canadian authorities shared this information with their Indian peers over the weekend.

Since last autumn, India has temporarily suspended visa services for Canadians. It also withdrew diplomatic immunity for most of Canada’s envoys, which Ottawa said forced it to bring home most of its diplomats.

Is India important?

In November 2022, Canada declared India “a critical partner” in its Indo-Pacific strategy, calling for a trade agreement, more work exchanges and partnerships in renewal energy.

Canada is among the countries that have spent years trying to court New Delhi amid growing concerns about China. Ottawa has said that India is key to promoting democracy and pluralism worldwide.

India relies on Canada for large imports of lentils and potash, and is a popular destination for students looking to study abroad in both advanced research degrees and vocational colleges.

Until September 2023, Canada and India had been in numerous rounds of high-level negotiations for a trade deal restricted to key industries, years after both countries abandoned an attempt at a comprehensive deal. Canada paused the latest negotiations shortly before making public its concerns about the Nijjar case.

Is this a political spat?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has argued that Trudeau hasn’t taken the issue of Khalistan separatism seriously.

In 2018, Trudeau’s visit to India caused controversy when it emerged that his delegation had invited Jaspal Atwal — a B.C. Sikh convicted of attempting to assassinate an Indian cabinet minister in 1986 — to two events with Trudeau.

In a background briefing arranged by the Prime Minister’s Office, a government official told journalists that Atwal’s presence had been arranged by factions within the Indian government who wanted to sabotage Trudeau’s visit due to the Khalistan issue.

A year ago, Indian Foreign Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar suggested the latest rift comes down to issues his government has with Canada’s Liberals.

“The problems we have are with a certain segment of Canadian politics, and the policies which flow from that,” he said.

What happened on Monday?

On Monday, the RCMP warned the public about a rash of crimes including murder, extortion and coercion linked to Indian government agents.

The RCMP and other Canadian officials confronted India earlier this past weekend, and when New Delhi refused to co-operate, Ottawa ordered six Indian diplomats to leave Canada. India has similarly expelled six Canadian diplomats.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2024.

Ottawa’s decision Monday to expel India’s top envoy and five other diplomats is just the latest development in tensions that have simmered for months between the two countries.

Here’s a look at what’s driving the chill between Canada and India.

Why is India mad at Canada?

India is a staunch opponent to the Khalistan separatist movement, in which some Sikhs advocate for an independent state called Khalistan to be carved out of Indian territory.

India says the prospect is unconstitutional and threatens the country’s national security. Ottawa has long stressed that it upholds India’s territorial integrity but won’t crack down on freedom of expression in Canada.

Khalistan supporters in Canada occasionally organize rallies and what they call referendum, which get little mainstream media attention in Canada but are the subject of emotive news reports in India. Organizers say India has persecuted them through decades, a claim New Delhi rejects.

Some Sikh temples have been found to be openly venerating people connected with acts of violence like the 1985 bombing of an Air India flight, which is the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history.

Did India kill a Canadian?

In September 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canadian intelligence services are investigating “credible” information about “a potential link” between India’s government and the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

New Delhi initially outright denied any involvement, before shifting to saying that extrajudicial killings are not state policy.

Meanwhile, American authorities last November unsealed an indictment alleging a murder-for-hire plot by an Indian national. The court file alleges an Indian government employee directed the attempted assassination in the United States, and spoke about others, including Nijjar’s killing in Canada.

This past May, police in Edmonton arrested three Indian nationals and charged them with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in Nijjar’s death.

India maintains that Canada has never shared evidence of the country’s involvement in the homicide, though Trudeau said Monday that Canadian authorities shared this information with their Indian peers over the weekend.

Since last autumn, India has temporarily suspended visa services for Canadians. It also withdrew diplomatic immunity for most of Canada’s envoys, which Ottawa said forced it to bring home most of its diplomats.

Is India important?

In November 2022, Canada declared India “a critical partner” in its Indo-Pacific strategy, calling for a trade agreement, more work exchanges and partnerships in renewal energy.

Canada is among the countries that have spent years trying to court New Delhi amid growing concerns about China. Ottawa has said that India is key to promoting democracy and pluralism worldwide.

India relies on Canada for large imports of lentils and potash, and is a popular destination for students looking to study abroad in both advanced research degrees and vocational colleges.

Until September 2023, Canada and India had been in numerous rounds of high-level negotiations for a trade deal restricted to key industries, years after both countries abandoned an attempt at a comprehensive deal. Canada paused the latest negotiations shortly before making public its concerns about the Nijjar case.

Is this a political spat?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has argued that Trudeau hasn’t taken the issue of Khalistan separatism seriously.

In 2018, Trudeau’s visit to India caused controversy when it emerged that his delegation had invited Jaspal Atwal — a B.C. Sikh convicted of attempting to assassinate an Indian cabinet minister in 1986 — to two events with Trudeau.

In a background briefing arranged by the Prime Minister’s Office, a government official told journalists that Atwal’s presence had been arranged by factions within the Indian government who wanted to sabotage Trudeau’s visit due to the Khalistan issue.

A year ago, Indian Foreign Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar suggested the latest rift comes down to issues his government has with Canada’s Liberals.

“The problems we have are with a certain segment of Canadian politics, and the policies which flow from that,” he said.

What happened on Monday?

On Monday, the RCMP warned the public about a rash of crimes including murder, extortion and coercion linked to Indian government agents.

The RCMP and other Canadian officials confronted India earlier this past weekend, and when New Delhi refused to co-operate, Ottawa ordered six Indian diplomats to leave Canada. India has similarly expelled six Canadian diplomats.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2024.