Escalating Canada-India row complicates efforts by West to counter China

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation that the Indian government was involved in the assassination on Canadian soil of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh independence advocate, will undoubtedly erode Canadian-Indian relations at a time when the West is trying to appeal to India.

Trudeau has made international headlines with his allegation in Parliament this week that India had a hand in the murder of Nijjar, who was gunned down last June in the parking lot of a gurdwara in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey.

Both government and opposition parties have unanimously condemned India, saying the allegations suggest an unacceptable violation of Canadian sovereignty.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has announced the expulsion of Indian diplomat Pavan Kumar Rai. The federal government says Rai led the Canadian branch of the Research and Analysis Wing, India’s foreign intelligence service. Joly says she will raise the issue with the G7 foreign ministers in New York.

India, meantime, has denied the allegation and expelled a Canadian diplomat in retaliation.

Tensions running high

Tensions between Canada and India were apparent when Trudeau recently visited New Delhi for the G20 summit.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised concerns to Trudeau about Sikh Khalistani protests in Canada. The Sikh independence movement is considered a threat to Indian territorial sovereignty and integrity.

Canada has the largest Sikh diaspora outside Punjab,...

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