India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, recently spoke out about a concerning issue in Canadian politics.
He pointed out that certain groups, known as Khalistani forces, are getting too much space in Canada’s political scene. According to Jaishankar, this is causing problems between India and Canada.
In an interview with news agency ANI, Jaishankar said that these Khalistani forces are doing things that harm the relationship between the two countries. He stressed that it’s not good for India or Canada. Unfortunately, he added, this seems to be the current state of Canadian politics.
The tension between India and Canada escalated when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of being involved in the murder of Khalistani separatist-terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in September 2023. However, India has strongly denied these accusations, calling them baseless. India has asked Canada for evidence to support the claims.
As a response to the strained relations, both countries reduced their diplomatic presence in each other’s capitals. Trudeau also halted talks about a trade agreement between India and Canada without giving a clear reason.
India has repeatedly told Canada about its concerns that certain groups and individuals in Canada are using the country to plan activities against India. Unfortunately, India feels that Canada hasn’t taken these concerns seriously.
According to a report from a news agency, Canada’s hesitation to address the Khalistan issue might be linked to political strategies to gain votes. The Khalistan movement, which aims to make Punjab a separate nation, is considered a threat to India’s security. India has labeled individuals and groups associated with this movement as “terrorist organizations” under its laws.
