India and Canada have been engaged in a series of high-level meetings between security officials and diplomats in recent months, with the primary focus being the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. According to Hindustan Times, citing sources, these discussions have included at least two meetings between Canada’s former intelligence chief, David Vigneault, and a high-ranking Indian intelligence official in a third country. These meetings took place following the Lok Sabha elections in India.
The report also highlights four meetings between India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Advisor (NSIA), Nathalie G. Drouin, this year. These exchanges have been described as “amicable,” according to sources familiar with the situation.
The killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2022, has become a focal point of tension between the two nations. Nijjar was labeled a terrorist by India in 2020.
The situation further escalated last September when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made allegations suggesting a possible connection between Indian government agents and Nijjar’s killing. New Delhi vehemently dismissed these claims as “absurd.”
On July 25, India criticized Canada for its inaction against pro-Khalistan elements, who have been accused of threatening Indian leaders and diplomats. In a strong statement, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned Canada’s perceived double standard, stating: “When a democracy adopts different yardsticks to measure or implement the rule of law and freedom of expression, it only exposes its own double standard.”
India has expressed its concern over Canada’s tolerance of pro-Khalistan elements operating freely within its borders. These groups have displayed photos of Indian leaders and diplomats alongside violent slogans in various locations across Canada. India maintains that this tolerance is a core issue hindering the relationship between the two nations.
Relations between India and Canada have significantly deteriorated since Prime Minister Trudeau’s September allegations regarding the potential involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s death. The ongoing dialogue between security officials and diplomats underscores the complexity of the situation and the need for both nations to find a path towards resolving the issues at hand.
