Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Hamas official says despite this, Hamas leadership is currently undertaking a thorough review of the new proposal
Hamas official says the response fails to meet any of the just and legitimate demands of our people
Hamas official says it is clear that the Israeli response fundamentally seeks to entrench the occupation
Reuters citing Hamas official: Group received Israeli response to Witkoff proposal
Sources to Al Mayadeen: The news regarding a press conference tonight by the head of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, Khalil Al-Hayya, is false.
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was martyred in an Israeli drone strike on the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The death toll in the al-Bureij camp massacre has risen to 19
Nicolas Maduro: Maria Corina Machado and imperialism wanted to spread violence and chaos so there would be no elections.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: We were able to neutralize 60 attacks on oil refineries and oil facilities and arrest more than 70 individuals involved.
CNN citing sources: Talks between Washington and Tehran are close to reaching a comprehensive agreement that could be concluded during the next meeting.

Diplomatic Crisis: India-Canada tensions escalate, G7 allies tread cautiously

  • Tawqeer Hussain Tawqeer Hussain
  • Source: Al Mayadeen English
  • 27 Sep 2023 23:50
  • 7 Shares
5 Min Read

The exchange of hostilities between India and Canada over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar threatens to hinder progress on key bilateral issues.

  • x
  • Diplomatic Crisis: India-Canada tensions escalate, G7 allies tread cautiously
    (Illustrated by Mahdi Rtail)

Tensions between India and Canada have reached a boiling point, triggering concerns about the future of their diplomatic relations. The dispute, which began over the allegations made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau against India, has escalated into a diplomatic crisis with far-reaching implications and has already put the allies of both countries, especially the G7 Nations, in a tight spot.

The controversy started when Trudeau publicly blamed "agents of India" for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, "a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil," and demanded India join the investigations.

India's External Affairs Ministry issued a formal statement condemning Trudeau's comments as "absurd and motivated," and subsequently suspended all types of visas for Canadian citizens.

The two countries have since then expelled respective senior diplomats. This exchange of hostilities threatens to hinder progress on key bilateral issues, including trade and other partnerships.

According to the reports, Canada’s allegations rely on the information it received from human intelligence, signals intelligence, and information provided by an ally within the Five Eyes intelligence network.

The Five Eyes network is an intelligence alliance comprising the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The Five Eyes partners reportedly share intelligence, primarily in the form of electronic surveillance and signal intelligence, to enhance their collective ability to monitor and gather information on global threats, including espionage, terrorism, cyberattacks, and other security-related issues.

Experts believe that such a diplomatic rift is not good for India and Canada as both countries stand to lose "trust and inter-dependability" bilaterally as well as in the multilateral forums, and that "New Delhi and Ottawa should find a common ground to break the ice."

"The trade and people-to-people ties between the two countries are strong and putting that on back-burner owing to mere allegations isn’t fruitful for anyone here," said Professor Karori Singh, Emeritus Fellow and Former Director, South Asia Studies Centre, University of Rajasthan.

Canada has already paused the Free Trade Agreement negotiations with India in the first week of September.

The G7 countries mostly have remained silent over the issue so far, except the United States for whom Canada is an important ally and close neighbor.

John Kirby, the spokesperson for the US National Security Council, said that Washington, D.C. stands behind Canada's efforts of investigation into what he referred to as "grave allegations" and encouraged India to "actively cooperate in this inquiry."

According to the reports, India has been reaching out to its counterparts within the G7 to convey its perspective regarding Canada's accusations.

"Friends of Canada are reluctant to jump into this issue as India’s foreign policy is about mutual respect and moreso Canada hasn’t provided any credible information to India yet," Professor Singh said, adding that "India’s diplomatic row is issue-based which doesn’t amount to hostility, so G7 countries are walking with caution."

Professor Singh also cautioned that Canada should take India's concerns seriously and not allow space for anti-Indian elements seeking to disrupt India. He noted that India has repeatedly urged Canada to take action against elements advocating for a separate region in Punjab, known as Khalistan, and that addressing this issue could have prevented the current situation.

"India has time and again sought action from Canada over the elements that demand a separate region in Punjab, a separate Khalistan. If Canada had taken serious action, against them, such an issue would have never surfaced," he added.

The United States too is treading with caution in this issue and is cultivating strategic relations with India to challenge the rising Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.

Ayanangsha Maitra, a Ph.D. scholar in International Relations, indicated that India’s geopolitical positioning and its economic rise are surely factors that the West and G7 countries cannot ignore.

"India's stature in the world is increasing, our economy is on the rise, and there is political will and confident leadership to tackle the crisis," Mr Maitra said.

India's tit-for-tat move against Canada on the expulsion of a diplomat is simply retaliation as Canada did it first, he argued.

However, Mr Maitra pointed out that ups and downs are part of diplomacy between the two countries, but considered that it is in Canada’s interest to mend issues with India.

"I believe this is simply a phase between the two Nations and up and downs of part of relations. It will go away, without any mediation. It is in Canada's interest to mend ties with India as Canada needs India more than India needs Canada," he added.

"Most of the G7 countries are India's strategic partners; Canada is a member. India's geopolitical positioning, its market, the Human resources in the form of IT professionals etc makes it more important for any country," he concluded.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Al Mayadeen’s editorial stance.
  • ottawa
  • Justin Trudeau
  • India
  • Hardeep Singh Nijjar
  • New Delhi
  • Canada
  • G7
Tawqeer Hussain

Tawqeer Hussain

Journalist based in New Delhi.

Most Read

All
Although the background information does not indicate direct US involvement, considering the broader geopolitical context, it is plausible that the US would have an indirect impact. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

Did 'Israel', US fight a proxy war with China in South Asia during the India-Pakistan escalation?

  • Feature
  • 19 May 2025
The two countries need to sit down and resolve the crisis with maturity, to consider carefully that they could be being manipulated to be easily dominated. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Algeria and Mali, divided and almost conquered

  • Opinion
  • 25 May 2025
The spirit of Bandung: 70 years on

The spirit of Bandung: 70 years on

  • Opinion
  • 18 May 2025
Trump and Biden both pretended to be fighting Netanyahu

Trump and Biden both pretended to be fighting Netanyahu

  • Analysis
  • 28 May 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

More from this writer

All
Modi's Stance on Palestine Sparks Debate

Modi's Stance on Palestine Sparks Debate

G20 Summit: In pursuit of consensus, India encounters hurdles amid Western-Russia-China discord over Ukraine

G20 Summit: In pursuit of consensus, India encounters hurdles amid Western-Russia-China discord over Ukraine

No Breakthrough, As India-China Hold Talks on Decades Old Border Dispute

No Breakthrough, As India-China Hold Talks on Decades Old Border Dispute

The Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan pertains to the territorial dispute over the region of Kashmir, a mountainous area located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent.

Pakistan's peace talk offer met with mixed reactions from India and region

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS