Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Amid strained diplomatic ties with New Delhi over the Khalistan issue, Canada on Sunday said “There is one India,” as the fragile government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau heads for the next parliamentary elections by October 2025.
“Canada’s policy is clear that India’s territorial integrity must be respected. There’s one India,” said Deputy Foreign Minister David Morrison, according to the media reports.
After more than a year of bitter diplomatic fracas, Canada may be trying to reset its relations with India which is now emerging as the third-largest economy worldwide. Also, the main Opposition leader, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre since 2022, is trying to corner Trudeau on the messed up India relations.
The Trudeau-led Liberal Party’s climbdown came after last month’s sudden withdrawal of support by the pro-Khalistani political outfit, the Jagmeet Singh-led New Democratic Party (NDP), which pulled Canada’s strings against India.
Now, in a new development signaling a thaw in bilateral relations, Morrison expressed support for India’s territorial integrity. Speaking at a public hearing of the Canadian Foreign Interference Commission in Ottawa on October 4, he made it clear that “There is one India” and the South Asian country’s sovereignty must be respected.
His remarks, broadcast on the nation’s parliamentary channel, come at a time of bilateral tensions following the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in mid-2023, for which Canada sought to blame “Indian agencies.”
“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 said while addressing a concern raised by India over the Khalistani movement, which has seen support from some Canadian citizens, mainly those of Indian origin.
He also acknowledged the existence of Khalistan advocates in Canada but reiterated Ottawa’s recognition of India’s unified sovereignty, the media reported.
His statement marks a key clarification of Canada’s stance in light of the diplomatic rift that escalated after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, apparently under pressure from NDP on whom he depended for political survival, claimed in September 2023 that Indian agents were potentially involved in Nijjar’s killing. India firmly denied these accusations, calling them ‘absurd’ and ‘politically motivated’, while also expressing concerns about Canada’s leniency towards pro-Khalistan groups.
Morrison also highlighted the longstanding partnership between India and Canada, noting that ties had been improving until the Nijjar killing strained relations. Both countries were in talks for a free trade agreement (FTA) and witnessed a positive engagement during the G-20 Summit held in New Delhi in September 2023.
However, the fallout from Nijjar’s death led to the expulsion of 41 diplomats, pushing relations into what Morrison described as a “complicated place.”
Despite this, he said communication channels between the two nations remained open. “Canada and India are partners going back many decades. India is an increasingly significant global player, and Canada is taking account of that in its policies,” he said, hinting at a possible path forward in resolving the diplomatic impasse.
The tension surrounding Nijjar’s killing left the two nations grappling with unresolved security concerns. Trudeau, after the Lok Sabha elections in June this year, expressed a desire to resume talks with India on critical issues, including national security and the rule of law.
In June 2023, the Canadian Parliament observed a moment of silence in Nijjar’s memory, while India held a memorial service in Vancouver, commemorating the victims of the 1985 Air India bombing by Khalistani terrorists.
The history of the Khalistan movement, which claimed thousands of lives in India, including that of then-PM Indira Gandhi in 1984, continues to loom large over Indo-Canadian relations, with the two countries navigating the complexities of managing internal and external threats.
The ongoing public inquiry into the alleged foreign interference in Canada’s electoral processes, established on September 7, 2023, highlighted the complexity of the situation. With a focus on countries like India, China, and Russia, the inquiry’s final report is expected by December 31, 2024, potentially influencing future diplomatic and security policies between the two nations.