OpinionTrudeau’s attempts to needle Modi over Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing risk Western unity

The diplomatic rift has landed the US and its G7 partners in hot water as they need to balance between an emerging partner in India and an old ally in Canada

Without convincing evidence and a public trial over the killing, Ottawa can’t expect its friends to risk important ties with New Delhi

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) welcomes Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on his arrival at the Bharat Mandapam convention centre for the Group of 20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9. Relations between Canada and India have rapidly turned sour in the aftermath of the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last month. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:30pm, 19 Oct 2023

When was the last time you saw a Canadian prime minister running from pillar to post to shore up support for his political cause? Perhaps never in recent history – until now.

With seemingly little support forthcoming from fellow Group of Seven (G7) countries, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made it his mission to take the diplomatic row with India over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar to every world leader he talks to. However, the question is whether Trudeau can needle Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On September 18, Trudeau stood in parliament and said there were “credible allegations potentially linking” agents of the Indian government to the assassination of Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh separatist leader.

Nijjar’s political outfit seeks a homeland called Khalistan in the Indian state of Punjab. The Khalistan movement resonates largely with the diaspora, with little support in Punjab itself.

Since airing those allegations, Canada-India ties have been in a continuous tailspin with mutual recriminations and diplomatic expulsions. India has demanded a reduction in Canada’s diplomatic presence in the country by nearly two-thirds. New Delhi has called the allegations “absurd and motivated” and in turn accused Canada of providing a safe haven for terrorists.

This diplomatic rift has landed countries such as the United States and its G7 partners in hot water as they need to balance between an emerging partner in India, which they are courting strongly to balance against China, and an old ally in Canada. Of Canada’s allies, only the US has publicly urged New Delhi to cooperate with the investigation, while others have merely expressed concerns. Britain has said is not prepared to terminate trade talks with India over the allegations.