Canada has reiterated its commitment to respecting the territorial integrity of India and said that its position is absolute. This statement marks the first official declaration since diplomatic tensions ruptured last year following allegations from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the potential involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and one of India’s most-wanted terrorists.
During a recent appearance before the foreign interference commission in Ottawa, Canada's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, David Morrison, said, “Canada's policy is very clear that India's territorial integrity must be respected. There's one India, and that's been made very clear.”
Morrison addressed the activities of pro-Khalistan groups in Canada, describing them as “awful but lawful,” acknowledging the protection of such activities under freedom of speech rights. His comments are seen as an effort to clarify Canada’s stance on Khalistani sentiments among some Canadian citizens and to stabilize the increasingly strained relations between Canada and India.
Relations between the two countries have been deteriorating since Trudeau's allegations last year, which India dismissed as "absurd" and "motivated." Tension between the two escalated after the allegations leading to the suspension of discussions regarding trade and security. However, Trudeau has now indicated a willingness to resume dialogue on crucial national security issues.
Canada’s outreach to India has gained momentum since the recent Lok Sabha elections, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was re-elected. Trudeau expressed hope for renewed talks on important matters, stating, “We can now resume discussions on very serious issues around national security and keeping Canadians safe.”
The fallout from Nijjar’s death, which occurred outside a gurdwara in Surrey in June 2023, led to a moment of silence in the Canadian parliament. In response, India held a memorial service in Vancouver for the 329 victims of the Air India flight bombing in 1985, attributed to Khalistani terrorists.
In a probe into Nijjar’s murder, Canada has arrested four Indian nationals. Indian officials have said that political motives influence the activities of separatists in Canada, reaffirming their concerns about the space granted to such groups within Canadian society.
