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
The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps - Quds Force announces the martyrdom of the head of the Palestine Unit Brigadier General Mohammad Said Izadi.
Sayyed Khamenei: The idea of Iran's surrender is laughable to the wise, for the Iranian people are strong and will remain strong, proud, and honorable.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Sayyed Khamenei: The insult directed by the Americans at the Iranian people will not prevail... Our people are great, our state is strong, and our civilization is deeply rooted in history.
Sayyed Khamenei: Downplaying the Iranian strike on Al-Udeid base aims to conceal the truth, and the coming days will reveal the extent of the enemies' losses.
Sayyed Khamenei: The Islamic Republic's targeting of vital American sites, such as Al-Udeid base, was not a passing event.
Sayyed Khamenei: The American president hides behind allegations to conceal the reality of what happened.
Sayyed Khamenei: Our armed forces managed to bypass various enemy defenses and strike multiple targets at the heart of enemy centers.
Sayyed Khamenei: The Zionist entity never imagined receiving such strikes from the Islamic Republic.
Sayyed Khamenei: The American aggression against our nuclear facilities failed to achieve any of the enemies' objectives.
Commander-in-Chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, Major General Mohammad Pakpour: If the enemy makes a mistake, we will respond forcefully, just as we have over the past 12 days

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
At the time of Vanunu’s whistleblowing, Western governments and intelligence agencies had been aware of "Israel’s" development of nuclear weapons for almost three decades. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Mahdi Rtail)

Hidden history: How 'Israel' acquired nukes

  • Opinion
  • 13 Jun 2025
Absent a full-scale American war on the Islamic Republic, Netanyahu has set up his regime and himself for a historic humiliation. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

The clock is ticking down to 'Israel’s' capitulation

  • Opinion
  • 18 Jun 2025
'Israel' burns its deck while Iran plays its cards right

'Israel' burns its deck while Iran plays its cards right

  • Opinion
  • 17 Jun 2025
Decoding Iran’s strategy in current war

Decoding Iran’s strategy in current war

  • Opinion
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
War on Iran

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