Foreign policy expert says this signals diplomatic ‘rock bottom’ for India, Canada
1 of 2 | India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) welcomed Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi in 2023. On Monday, both Canada and India expelled one another’s diplomats over what Canada said is India’s involvement in criminal activity in the country. File Photo by Press Information Bureau/UPI | License Photo
The U.S. and British governments urged India to fully cooperate with ongoing investigations by Canadian authorities alleging Indian government officials had committed “serious” crimes in Canada.
On Wednesday, Britain’s Foreign Commonwealth Development Office released a statement saying the British government had been in contact with its Canadian counterparts about “the serious developments” outlined in Canada’s independent investigations on the matter. Advertisement
It arrived as Canada and India on Monday pulled out official representatives from both nations as diplomatic tensions get rockier.
The Canadian government had accused agents of India’s government of alleged involvement in a series of “homicides, extortion and violent acts” on Canadian soil. According to officials, the specific targets were the pro-Khalistan supporters, a sect of the Indian population who advocate for a Sikh homeland separate of India’s vast culturally diverse national identity.
But Delhi has rejected these assertions as “preposterous.” Advertisement
Britain has “full confidence” in Canada’s judicial system and “respect for sovereignty and the rule of law is essential,” an FCDO spokesperson said Wednesday.
For India’s government to cooperate with Canada’s legal process, they said, “is the right next step.”
The situation intensified on Monday when both the Canadian and Indian governments expelled their top diplomats from Ottawa and Delhi.
Canada’s prime minister noted that “these are ongoing investigations that are in front of court in some situations.” And others “that will end up in court in coming months,” he said.
During a Pentagon press briefing in Washington on Tuesday, a question was asked what message the U.S. wanted to convey to the world regarding the unfolding situation involving the alleged international crimes by official agents of the Indian government.
“The same message that we have made clear for some time,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. “Which is that it’s a matter we take incredibly seriously, and we want to see it fully investigated.”
According to Canadian authorities, internal investigations had revealed that Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada allegedly leveraged their official positions to “engage in clandestine activities,” such as collecting information for the government of India. Advertisement
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly pointed out on Monday how “it is sitting diplomats involved” in the unfolding drama between India and Canada. She also noted the Canadian investigation is different from a similar but separate ongoing investigation by the U.S. government.
“We don’t want diplomatic confrontation with India,” Joly said Monday at a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Via a national task force and through other efforts over the last few years, the Canadian government alleges evidence of four “very serious” issues, which include:
- “Violent extremism” that Canada said is “impacting both” India and CanadaLinks that tie Indian government agents to homicides and other violent actsThe use of organized crime “to create a perception of an unsafe environment” targeting Canada’s South Asian Community”Interference into democratic processes.”
Trudeau said India made a “fundamental error in thinking they could engage in supporting criminal activity against Canadians here on Canadian soil.”
Meanwhile, foreign policy experts have signaled how this shift is uncharted diplomatic territory between the two nations.
Michael Kugelman of the U.S.-based think-tank Wilson Center says Canada’s serious and “blistering” detailed revelations on Monday and its recall of diplomatic representatives is “uncharted territory, even for this troubled relationship.” Advertisement
“This relationship has been on a downward trajectory for several years, but it’s now hit rock bottom,” Kugelman told the BBC on Tuesday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Monday took the “extraordinary” step to alert the Canadian public to ongoing developments.
“We want to assure all Canadians that their safety and security is at the forefront of everything we do and we urge the public and South Asian communities to remain calm and give law enforcement and Canadian officials time to continue discussions,” the RCMP said in its afternoon statement.
