Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday said he was not looking to "provoke" India or "escalate" tensions, but urged New Delhi to take the killing of a Sikh separatist leader with the "utmost seriousness".
India is the fifth largest economy in the world and it is central to a number of critical global supply chains, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said, arguing that the leadership of the country must be part of discussions at the upcoming G7 summit.
India on Friday said it hopes to rebuild ties with Canada based on 'mutual trust and sensitivity', blaming the downturn in the relations to the 'licence' that was given to the 'extremist and secessionist elements' in that country.
India and Canada have unveiled a roadmap to boost cooperation in trade, critical minerals, and energy, signaling efforts to rebuild strained relations following the killing of a Sikh separatist in 2023. Discussions include addressing concerns over pro-Khalistan elements and pursuing a balanced partnership.
India-Canada ties saw tensions after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September 2023 in the House of Commons said there were "credible allegations" of a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of pro-Khalistan separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia.
Trudeau claimed the Indian diplomats were collecting information on Canadians who are in disagreement with the Narendra Modi government and passing it to the highest levels within the Indian government and criminal organisations like the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said the G7 Summit of the presidents of the US and France; the prime ministers of the UK, Japan, Italy and Canada; and the Chancellor of Germany is taking place in Kananaskis in Alberta, Canada, from June 15.
Amid the ongoing diplomatic tussle between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a group of hackers claiming to be Indian Cyber Force temporarily disabled the official website of Canadian army, The Telegraph, London, reported on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters, Trudeau said, "The news coming out of the United States further underscores what we've been talking about from the very beginning: which is India needs to take this seriously."
Canada's former national security advisor Jody Thomas described the changing relationship between Ottawa and New Delhi as an "evolution" and said Canada has "made advancements in that relationship."
Experts say Canada's allegations regarding the Indian government's involvement in the fatal shooting of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada 'could be most significant test of strength of US-India partnership since early 2000s'.
India has lodged a strong protest with Canada over the "threatening language" and "unacceptable imagery" targeting Indian leadership at a parade held in Toronto. The floats at the parade reportedly featured pro-Khalistan propaganda and imagery attacking Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India conveyed its concerns to the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi, calling on Canadian authorities to act against "anti-India elements" who are spreading hatred and advocating extremism and a separatist agenda. This incident comes days after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's victory in the general election, which was seen as an opportunity to repair India-Canada ties that had been strained under Justin Trudeau's leadership. The two countries have been grappling with strained relations since Trudeau's allegations in September 2023 of the "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.
It is learnt that Ottawa is yet to send an invitation to the Indian prime minister for the summit, but Modi, in any way, would have skipped it as such a visit would have required a lot of groundwork considering the current state of ties between the two sides, said the people cited above.
'We are deeply concerned by the allegations referenced by (Canadian) Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau. We remain in close contact with our Canadian partners'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed the attack on a temple by a pro-Khalistani mob in Canada and asked the government there to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he will be attending the G7 Summit later this month in Canada and that he looked forward to meeting his newly elected Canadian counterpart Mark Carney.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attendance at the G7 summit is a reflection of the size and dynamism of the Indian economy and the leadership position India plays, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said.
'There are supporters of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's government in Canada, but they do not represent all Hindu Canadians'
'As the trial gets closer for Nikhil Gupta, they're going to want to make sure that he doesn't talk.' 'And they're going to put pressure on Mr Gupta to make some deal where the evidence doesn't come out.'
India and Canada have agreed to restore High Commissioners to each other's capitals at an early date, the first in 'calibrated steps' to restore stability to the 'very important relationship', Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.
"From the very beginning, the Canadian approach has been to make vague accusations and put the burden of denial on India," it added.
The spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said they are "coordinating and consulting" with Canada and also "engaging" with the Indian government.
Despite ongoing tension between the two countries on the issue of extremism, Bezirgan said he expects warmer ties henceforth as Carney has invited Prime Minister Modi for the G7 Summit.
India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held bilateral talks with US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and chaired a conclave of top global intelligence chiefs focusing on strengthening cooperation in confronting various security challenges including terrorism and threats posed by emerging technologies. The meeting also focused on security in the Indo-Pacific region, cooperation to counter terror funding and money laundering, and issues relating to extradition and immigration.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that he discussed the 'present state' of bilateral ties and the current global issues with his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly, amidst a diplomatic row between the two countries over the killing of a Sikh separatist in Canada.
New Delhi's protest came a day after the Canadian parliament observed a "moment of silence" in the memory of Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down in Surrey, British Columbia, in June last year.
The announcement comes days after an incident of violent disruption by protestors carrying Khalistani flags at a consular event co-organised by the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton and the Indian Consulate.
India on Saturday accused Canada of indulging in 'harassment and intimidation' of Indian consular staff there by putting them under audio and video surveillance in 'flagrant violation' of diplomatic conventions.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties.
Avani Dias, the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, said she had to leave India on April 19, the day the Lok Sabha elections started after the government objected to her reporting on the assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
'India and Canada have almost 200 years of shared history and migrations. This won't be the last of our partnership.'
India has summoned Canadian high commissioner in New Delhi over propaganda material, including posters, containing threats to Indian diplomats being circulated in Canada and has served a demarche to the Justin Trudeau government.
The United States has urged India to cooperate with Canada in its investigations.
The US also remains in regular contact with the Canadian government, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Friday.
The United States State Department has refuted reports claiming Washington, DC is considering 'expelling' Indian diplomats amid the strained ties between India and Canada.
'When it comes to India, I have mentioned it many times, I am in close contact with my counterpart, S Jaishankar, and we know this is a difficult moment in a relationship that spanned decades, so therefore I am confident that we will be able to get through this difficult period'
The Brampton Triveni temple in Canada has cancelled a consular event after the Canadian police warned them of an "extremely high and imminent" threat level of violent protests. The Life Certificate event, organised by the Consulate General of India, Toronto, was scheduled for November 17 at the temple premises. The cancellation comes almost a week after protestors carrying Khalistani flags clashed with devotees at a Hindu Sabha temple and disrupted an event co-organised by the temple authorities and the Indian Consulate at Brampton. India condemned the attack and called for the prosecution of those involved. Relations between India and Canada have been strained since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September last year of a potential involvement of Indian agents in Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing.
"Over the last year or even more, the kind of things that we have seen attacking Indian diplomats, threatening, intimidating, harassing Indian diplomats...Yes, the threats have increased," he added.
India, Canada relations have nosedived after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations last month linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.
Top Canadian officials have accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of leading a campaign targeting Sikh separatists in Canada, escalating tensions between the two nations.
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