What’s the news?

• The relationship between Canada and India has hit rock bottom with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accusations of Indian involvement in the death of Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Central Idea

• The Canada-India relationship is in trouble after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s troubling allegations against India. Diplomats were sent home, and making up seems hard. Both countries need to talk honestly about how some Indian people in Canada are causing problems and making things worse.

The troubling accusations

• Unprecedented Allegations: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement before Canadian lawmakers, accusing Indian agents of involvement in the killing of Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, represents an unprecedented and game-changing development in Canada-India relations.
• Potential Motivations: The timing of Trudeau’s public announcement in parliament, before fully exploring other options, suggests either the existence of substantial evidence backing the claims or a willingness to jeopardize Canada-India relations for undisclosed reasons.
• Myopic Emphasis on Rule of Law: Trudeau’s emphasis on the rule of law in this context appears narrow, as it fails to consider the broader effects of Nijjar and his separatist associates’ activities in both Canada and India.
• Overlooking Victims: Trudeau’s focus on Khalistan activists’ plight neglects to address the harm they have inflicted, including propagating violence against Indian diplomats, celebrating the death of an Indian prime minister, vandalizing places of worship in Canada, and disregarding Indian lawmaking processes.

Historical Context of Canada-India Relations

• Cold War Cooperation: During the Cold War, Canada and India shared a positive rapport due to their commonwealth status and alignment on UN principles, multilateralism, and global development goals.
• Cold War Disputes: However, differences emerged during the Cold War crises in Korea, Hungary, and Vietnam, straining relations. India’s nuclear program further exacerbated tensions.
• 1980s Rekindling: In the 1980s, increased Indian immigration to Canada sparked renewed interest in India, but trade and security relations remained limited.
• Post-1998 Efforts: After Canada’s rejection of India’s nuclear power status in 1998, significant efforts have been made to revive relations, particularly in trade and investment.
• Toxic Diaspora Politics: The relationship has been consistently hampered by specific diaspora elements within Canada with extremist views who influence Canadian political parties, negatively impacting bilateral ties.

Canada’s Diaspora Politics

• Confounding Deference: Ottawa, particularly under the current government, has consistently displayed a confounding deference to Khalistani groups and other diaspora elements, a characteristic feature of its foreign policy.
• Both Political Parties Implicated: Notably, both major political parties in Canada, namely the Liberals and Conservatives, have been implicated in pandering to diaspora groups that utilize Canadian soil for activities detrimental to other nations’ interests and security.
• Short-Term Electoral Pressure: The influence of diaspora politics has prevented Canadian governments from prioritizing national security and foreign policy objectives over short-term electoral pressures.
• Impeding National Interests: Diaspora politics poses a significant impediment to Canada’s ability to safeguard its national security and foreign policy priorities from the pressures of short-term electoral considerations.

Challenges for India

• Pro-Khalistan Groups: India faces challenges stemming from pro-Khalistan groups within the Indian diaspora in Canada. These groups advocate for the secession of Punjab from India, creating a source of tension between India and Canada.
• Tensions and Resentments: The activities of pro-Khalistan groups in Canada have led to tensions and resentments between India and Canada. The Indian government is concerned about how these groups operate in Canada and their impact on bilateral relations.
• Foreign Policy Dilemma: India must navigate a diplomatic dilemma when dealing with countries like Canada that host diaspora elements supporting separatist movements. Balancing diplomatic relations with such countries while addressing the concerns of these diaspora groups can be challenging.
• Rising Transnational Currents: The rise of transnational currents questions India’s territorial integrity and treatment of ethnic minorities. These currents pose a significant problem for Indian foreign policy, potentially influencing global perceptions and diplomatic relations.
• Online Amplification: The digital age has amplified challenges associated with diaspora politics. Online platforms and social media allow diaspora groups to spread their ideas and mobilize support more effectively, potentially affecting India’s image and diplomacy.
• Caste Discrimination: Caste discrimination is a contentious issue within Indian diaspora communities in Canada and other countries. This adds complexity to India’s engagement with its diaspora and its image abroad.

Way Forward

• Rebuilding Trust: The strained Canada-India relationship calls for a concerted effort to rebuild trust, acknowledging that distrust has deep historical roots.
• Shared Interests: Both countries have shared interests in defending the international order, balancing China’s rise, and cooperating on critical global issues such as climate change, global health, digital technology misuse, artificial intelligence regulation, and support for developing countries.
• Addressing Diaspora Challenges: To effectively address these challenges, a political consensus is required that addresses both countries’ perspectives on Canada’s Indian diaspora and mitigates its worst impulses, particularly those fanning separatist sentiments in India.
• National Interests at the Forefront: The path forward necessitates a clear commitment to prioritize national interests, security, and foreign policy objectives over the pressures of diaspora politics, especially in the era of social media and online activism.
• A Balanced Approach: Striking a balance between leveraging the positive aspects of diaspora contributions and effectively managing the challenges they pose is essential for both countries’ foreign relations.
• Diplomatic Dialogue: Engaging in a sincere, transparent, and multidimensional political dialogue is crucial for both Canada and India. This dialogue should address the role of Canada’s Indian diaspora, its politicization, and its impact on bilateral relations.
• Acknowledging Past Grievances: Recognizing and addressing past grievances and resentments is essential in the journey toward reconciliation and improved relations.

Conclusion

• The strained Canada-India relationship is a result of toxic diaspora politics. To mend this relationship, both countries must engage in a political compact addressing the role of Canada’s Indian diaspora and mitigating its divisive influences, especially those supporting separatism in India. Without this, geographical distance will be overshadowed by deep-seated dispositional differences between Ottawa and Delhi.

Also read:

The Khalistan shadow on India-Canada ties, over the years

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