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India-Canada dispute: Relations between India and Canada have become strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September alleged the involvement of “agents of the Indian government” in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June this year. India, on the other hand, has rejected the claims and described the allegations as “absurd and motivated”. Ottawa and New Delhi have since announced the expulsion of diplomats in the wake of Trudeau’s allegation of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s killing. India also temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity. Canada has recalled 41 diplomats and their family members from India.
Here are 10 points to know about the India-Canada dispute
1. On November 5, Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma reiterated New Delhi’s stance on the diplomatic standoff with Canada, asking Ottawa to release evidence supporting its allegation in connection with the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. requested.
2. He said India has not been shown concrete evidence by Canada or its allies regarding India’s alleged involvement in the Nijjar killing. Year informed of. The Indian envoy also said New Delhi has made 26 requests to Ottawa in the last five or six years to extradite people from Canada to India.
3. Designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, founder of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in a video released today asked Sikhs not to fly on Air India planes after November 19 as their lives could be in danger. “We are asking Sikh people not to travel by Air India. There will be a global blockade from 19th November. Air India will not be allowed to operate. Sikh people, do not travel by Air India after 19th November. Your “Life may be in danger,” Pannun said in a video circulated on social media. He also claimed that Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport will remain closed on November 19 and after Punjab becomes ‘independent’ Its name will be changed.
4. Indian officials asked Canada to increase security for Air India flights amid threats issued by the pro-Khalistan Sikh for Justice group. talking to Hindustan TimesIndian High Commissioner in Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, said, “We will take up the threat against Air India flights originating from and terminating in Canada with the relevant Canadian authorities.” Air India currently flies from Delhi to Vancouver. Operates several flights per week. Toronto.
5. The Indian Embassy in Ottawa announced that after suspending visa services, India resumed partial visa services for Canadians from October 26. Services were resumed for four categories of entry, business, medical and conference visas. Visa services including tourist, employment, student, film, missionaries and journalists are still suspended.
6. Canada has the largest Sikh population outside of Punjab, with 770,000 people reporting Sikhism as their religion in the 2021 census. India is by far the largest source of foreign students to Canada, with 40 per cent of study permit holders in India – a vital source for Canada’s fast-growing international education business, which brings C$20 billion ($15 billion) to the economy annually. Billion).
Also read: HTLS 2023: Jaishankar says there is scope for diplomacy to resolve India-Canada dispute
7. Despite New Delhi’s surprise move to ease some visa restrictions on Canadians, repairing the strained diplomatic ties between India and Canada will be a long process after each side adopted a maximalist stance, officials and experts have said , as stated in the report. reuters, Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, said reuters That “the relationship is in deep crisis, perhaps the worst it has ever seen.” “Each side may have a strong interest in seeing that the crisis does not get completely out of control, but that does not mean there are strong incentives to resolve the crisis.”
8. Ajay Bisaria, who served as the Ambassador of India to Canada from 2020 to 2022, said reuters That relations are in a “de-escalation phase” following “quiet diplomacy”. Even with the relaxations, visa restrictions are expected to hamper the movement of thousands of Indians and people of Indian origin who live in Canada or plan to study there.
9. Speaking on India-Canada FTA, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently said that FTA discussions between India and Canada were put on hold after the North American country called off talks due to baseless misunderstandings, a move that Which will cause more harm to it than India.
10. Although the two governments have maintained trade and business ties, the acrimony has delayed discussions on a free trade agreement and threatens Canada’s Indo-Pacific plans for the seven-member Group of Seven, with New Delhi becoming increasingly assertive. Are important for efforts to stop China.
(With inputs from Reuters, PTI, ANI)
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Updated: Nov 06, 2023, 02:28 PM IST
