India-Canada tensions lead to diplomatic expulsions: What is happening?

Canada accused India of supporting violent crime linked to the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Nijjar, resulting in a fresh standoff that has led to mutual expulsions of top diplomats

Canada on Monday accused India of supporting violent criminal activity on its soil, bringing fresh allegations regarding the Indian government’s alleged role in the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The subsequent developments led to a diplomatic standoff, resulting in the expulsion of top diplomats from both countries, including Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma.

The tensions escalated when Canada claimed that Verma and other Indian diplomats were "persons of interest" in the investigation into Nijjar’s murder. India rejected these allegations as "concocted," attributing them to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s vote bank politics.

What Canada said against India

At a press conference, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme alleged that Canada has information regarding criminal activities conducted by agents of the Indian government, though he declined to provide specifics.

In a statement, Trudeau echoed Duheme’s charges, claiming that Indian government agents are engaging in "activities that pose a significant threat to public safety."

“This includes clandestine information gathering techniques, coercive behaviour targeting South Asian Canadians, and involvement in over a dozen threatening and violent acts, including murder. This is unacceptable,” he alleged, adding that India is “refusing” to cooperate in the investigation.

“And that brought us to this point of having to disrupt the chain of operations that go from Indian diplomats here in Canada to criminal organisations to direct violent impacts on Canadians across this country,” Trudeau said. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly reinforced these allegations, stating that India-linked violence "actually increased" following Trudeau’s initial claims a year ago.

India's response to Canada's charges

In response to Canada's fresh charges, India summoned Canada’s Charge d'Affaires, Stewart Wheeler. It also decided to withdraw Verma, along with other diplomats and officials from Canada.

Later, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, claiming they were involved in a “campaign of violence” by the Indian government. India retaliated by expelling an equal number of top Canadian officials, who have been asked to leave the country by Saturday.

India also said that Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau's hostility towards India has been clear for some time. The Centre accused Trudeau's administration of intentionally allowing violent extremists and terrorists "to harass, threaten and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada."

How did India-Canada tensions begin?

The latest standoff comes almost a year after Canada first alleged India’s direct role in Nijjar’s killing in September last year. Nijjar, a Khalistan supporter, was gunned down on June 18, 2023, in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. He was associated with Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of the banned separatist group Sikhs for Justice. India called the allegations "absurd" and "motivated," resulting in a diplomatic fallout between the two countries that has worsened since then. Both Nijjar and Pannun have been designated as terrorists by India.

What is the Khalistan movement issue?

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trudeau briefly met on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Laos, the first meeting since Trudeau’s September 2023 charges.

Sikhs, who form just over 2.1 per cent of the Canadian population, are central to its politics. The Khalistan movement, advocating for a separate homeland called Khalistan in Punjab, has small pockets of support among sections of the Sikh diaspora in Canada. India says that the Trudeau administration’s charges are motivated by a political agenda regarding this issue.

Months after Canada’s initial charges, the United States made similar remarks, linking India to an alleged assassination plot to eliminate Pannun in New York, which it claimed had been foiled. In November, US prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta in the case, which India termed “baseless.” On Tuesday, an Indian inquiry panel is scheduled to visit Washington, DC, to investigate these allegations, according to a statement from the US State Department.