Canada-India row over murdered Sikh separatist complicates West’s bid to counter China

Ottawa was keen to improve trade relations with New Delhi, but talks stopped following allegations over Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s death
India’s human rights stance and alleged interference in Canada create barriers to improved relationship with West, while Beijing’s influence grows

Saira Bano

Published: 10:30am, 23 Sep 2023

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation that the Indian government was involved in the assassination of Sikh independence advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia will undoubtedly erode bilateral relations at a time when the West is trying to appeal to India.

Trudeau alleged in parliament that New Delhi had a hand in the death of Nijjar, who was gunned down in June in the car park of a gurdwara – a Sikh place of worship – in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey.

Both government and opposition parties have unanimously condemned India, saying the allegations suggest an unacceptable violation of Canadian sovereignty.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly expelled Indian envoy Pavan Kumar Rai. The federal government said Rai led the Canadian branch of the Research and Analysis Wing, India’s foreign intelligence service. Joly said she would raise the issue with G7 foreign ministers in New York.

India denied the allegations and expelled a Canadian diplomat in retaliation.

A banner with the image of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple, the site of his June killing in Canada’s British Columbia. Photo: Reuters

Tensions between Canada and India were apparent when Trudeau visited Delhi for the G20 summit earlier this month.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised concerns with the Canadian leader about Sikh Khalistani protests in Canada. The Sikh independence movement is considered a threat to Indian territorial sovereignty and integrity.

Canada has the largest Sikh diaspora outside Punjab, and activists like Nijjar have staged demonstrations to demand an independent Khalistan state separate from India. Trudeau defended these campaigns as freedom of expression, assembly and peaceful protest.

But Trudeau also made allegations about India’s involvement in Nijjar’s death to US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minster Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron at the G20 summit.

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This complicates efforts by Canada and its allies to improve relations with India in a strategic attempt to counterbalance what they view as an increasing threat posed by China.

In response to China’s growing might, Canada unveiled its Indo-Pacific strategy last year. This characterised Beijing as a “disruptive power” and underscored the Canadian commitment to strengthening ties with countries in the Indo-Pacific region, a strategy with a particular focus on India.

Canada has also committed to improving trade relations with India by negotiating a free-trade agreement.

There have been nine rounds of negotiations, but those talks stopped amid allegations about India’s role in Nijjar’s death. Earlier this month Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng cancelled her planned visit to India, which had been due to take place in October.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit in India earlier this month. Photo: AP

Despite the importance of countering China’s influence, the Indian government’s authoritative tendencies, human rights violations and interference in Canadian internal affairs have created obstacles to Ottawa’s efforts to improve its relationship with Delhi.

It’s highly improbable that Canada’s allies, including the US, Britain and France, will cut ties with India due to Trudeau’s allegations. India is simply too important for strategic and economic reasons.

Delhi holds significant importance when it comes to countering Beijing’s geopolitical influence. Ottawa has previously indicated India was a “priority” market for Canada. In 2022, India was Canada’s 10th largest trading partner.

A strategic agreement between the US and India is primarily aimed at tempering China’s growing influence and has been called a partnership between “the world’s oldest democracy” and “the world’s largest democracy” to highlight shared democratic values.

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But the Modi government has been harshly criticised for democratic backsliding and authoritarian tendencies, including fostering Hindu extremism, violating minority and human rights and cracking down on the media, academia and civil society.

Nonetheless, Biden refrained from criticising Modi publicly when the latter visited the White House in June, despite being pressured to raise human rights issues with the Indian leader.

Seventy-five US congressional representatives wrote to Biden urging him to do so. Half a dozen Democrats also boycotted Modi’s speech to Congress. But the Biden administration reportedly believes expressing concerns about Modi’s autocratic policies would harm the relationship.

Indeed, Canada’s allies have often turned a blind eye to Modi’s misdeeds due to strategic considerations. But it’s now time for Canada and its allies to assertively hold India accountable for its actions.

The strategic partnerships formed between Western nations and India were originally founded on the premise of shared democratic values. As the world’s most populous country, with the fifth-largest economy and second-largest military, India is still an invaluable partner to the West.

India-Canada ties going ‘south rapidly’ amid row over killing of Sikh separatist

But if India is diverging from these apparent shared principles, it’s essential to maintain the integrity of these partnerships by ensuring that Indian officials remain committed to democratic ideals and human rights.

Even if Canada’s allies will not publicly back Trudeau, the federal government should stay committed to its core values by ensuring India faces consequences for its authoritarian actions.

Saira Bano is Assistant Professor of Politics at Thompson Rivers University in Canada. This article was first published by The Conversation.