Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, accusing them of being involved in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader and targeting Indian dissidents in Canada. In retaliation, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and withdrew its envoy from Canada, leading to a major deterioration in relations between the two countries. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that the government had evidence of Indian agents engaging in dangerous activities in Canada. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police revealed that the Indian government had been targeting Indian dissidents in Canada through criminal activities such as homicides and extortion.
India denied the accusations by Canada and accused Trudeau of having a political agenda. Canada requested India to remove the diplomatic immunity of the six diplomats for questioning, but when India did not cooperate, Canada expelled them. This has escalated the diplomatic tension between the two countries, with little hope of a return to normalcy in the near future. Canada is home to a large Sikh population, which has led to demonstrations that have irked the Indian government.
The U.S. has also accused Indian agents of involvement in an attempted assassination plot against a Sikh separatist leader in New York, further straining relationships with India. The accusations of assassination plots and involvement in criminal activities against Sikh separatist leaders have tested the relationships between Canada, the U.S., and India as they seek to counter China’s global influence.
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