India and Canada Restore Diplomatic Services After Two-Year Strained Relations
India and Canada have agreed to restore diplomatic services nearly two years after Ottawa accused New Delhi of alleged involvement in the killing of Hareep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh independence advocate. The announcement came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. The leaders agreed to designate new high commissioners and resume regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries.
Key Takeaways:
- The diplomatic row between India and Canada began in September 2023 when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of being involved in the killing of Hareep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh independence advocate.
- India vehemently denied the allegations and accused Trudeau's government of harboring extremists.
- The Indian government had declared Nijjar a terrorist in 2020 under a law meant to suppress dissent.
- Ties between the two countries continued to worsen, with India withdrawing its high commissioner and other officials from Canada in October.
- The restoration of diplomatic services is seen as a step towards rebuilding trust and momentum in the relationship.
- India's anxieties about Sikh separatist groups have long strained its relationship with Canada.
- In recent weeks, the US President Trump had claimed to have brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and offered trade concessions.
Statistics:
- 2% of Canada's population is Sikh ( implied, not directly stated).
- India's foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that India had never accepted nor would it encourage third-party mediation over the Kashmir dispute.
- The military conflict between India and Pakistan lasted for days before being stopped through direct talks between military leaders.
Sources:
- AP News
- The Associated Press. All rights reserved. (No publication date provided in the original text)
- Foreign Ministry, India (no source date attribution)