Fragile Ties ~ III
Relevance: GS Paper II
Why in News?
The editorial provides an overview of the history of India-Canada relations, specifically focusing on the changes and obstacles faced during different administrations, particularly under Prime Ministers Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau.
India - Canada Relations:
John Manley’s efforts:
- Canada's Minister for Foreign Affairs, John Manley, attempted to improve relations with India.
- Economic considerations outweighed the post-Pokhran political stance of his predecessor.
- He took note of India's declaration of a moratorium on further tests and India's readiness to begin discussions on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
- In 2001, he removed all economic sanctions.
- Two years later, Paul Martin took over as the Prime Minister of Canada, further boosting Canada's efforts to expand cooperation by identifying India as an emerging market.
Stephen Harper's endeavours:
- During Stephen Harper's government (2006-2015), there were 19 ministerial-level visits to India, including his own State visits in 2009 and 2014. Harper's government placed India at the centre of Canada's Indo-Pacific Outlook.
- The two sides decided to set up a Joint Study Group to study the feasibility of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
- Negotiations began for an Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Foreign Investment and a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
- The Prime Minister of India visited Canada in 2010 to attend the G-20 Summit and later, in 2015, signed an Agreement for Civil Nuclear cooperation, as Canada is rich in uranium resources and is one of the biggest suppliers of nuclear technology; cooperation with Canada in developing nuclear energy would reduce dependence on fossil fuel.
- MoUs were also signed between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Canadian Space Agency for cooperation in space research and between the Indian Railways and Canada’s Department of Transport for Technical Cooperation in rail transportation.
Trudeau's era:
- Trudeau's style of functioning, eagerness to cultivate the Liberal Party's vote bank in the Indian diaspora, particularly among the Sikhs, and his naive arrogance cast a shadow on India-Canada relations.
- In 2017, when he attended a Khalsa Day parade in Toronto and delivered a speech, he was photographed in front of the flag of Khalistan.
- It is important to note that his predecessor, Harper, never attended such events, as they were overtly anti-India, displaying floats, posters and shrines dedicated to terrorists, and speakers often espoused violent upheavals in India for establishing Khalistan.
- His visit to India in 2018 was a diplomatic disaster as the Prime Ministerial delegation was received at the airport by a Minister of State, which political observers viewed as a calculated snub.
- The reason behind this cold reception may be attributed to Trudeau’s domestic politics and his government’s attitude towards terrorists and extremists.
- Trudeau had aligned his party with the powerful World Sikh Organisation and appointed several of its supporters to high-ranking government positions.
Deterioration of relations:
- During Trudeau's India visit, his entourage included a convicted assassin and a former terrorist, Jaspal Atwal.
- His official invitation to the dinner to be hosted by the Canadian High Commission had been doing the rounds on social media, as were his photographs with top Liberal Party officials, Trudeau himself, and his wife.
- Jaspal had close links with the Liberal Party; he was even a Liberal board member for the electoral district in Surrey, British Columbia, for some time.
- This gave substance to India’s allegation that Trudeau’s government was ‘very permissive’ towards terrorists.
- Trudeau's India visit was criticised for lacking official business and providing excessive importance to photo-ops in Indian clothing.
- During the height of tensions in India-Canada relations last year, Trudeau said at a news conference in Montreal that given India's rising prominence on the international stage, it is extremely important for Canada and its allies to keep up a "constructive and serious dialogue" with India.
- This was an unexceptionable statement, but had he been really serious about it, he should not have publicly criticised India for the Nijjar killing without providing substantive evidence.
Allegations and Speculations:
- The Foreign affairs minister of India expressed disappointment that India's 'friends', including the US and UK, do not take serious note of India’s concerns about the anti-India activities of separatists in their states.
- This issue has been a friction with Canada for years and has recently resurfaced due to Canada's permissive attitude towards terrorists and extremists.
- He also stated that his diplomats are now in a situation where they are unsafe going to the embassy or consulate, as they are publicly intimated.
- The Canadian Sikh activist Nijjar's killing highlighted the role of India's intelligence agency, RAW.
- The incident occurred during a surge in pro-Khalistan activities in Canada, the UK, the US, Pakistan, and Australia.
- Four former top Khalistani terrorists have died under mysterious circumstances in Canada, UK, and Pakistan.
- In 2021, at a UN meeting convened to discuss the legality of pre-emptive strikes in self-defence, the Indian Ambassador to the UN said that Article 51 of the Charter is not confined to self-defence in response to attacks by state actors only.
- The right of self-defence applies also to non-state actors, referring to organisations or individuals not affiliated with, directed by, or funded through a government.
- Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau's allegations against India could be attributed to India's attempt to develop a strategy within Article 51 of the UN Charter to deal with threats to India's security posed by non-state actors in states that are impervious to India's security concerns.
- Canada's source of information about India's involvement in Nijjar's killing was the US.
- The Canadian government's inability to provide actionable inputs to the Indian government could be due to illegal acts like eavesdropping on the phones of officials working in the Indian High Commission by the US Embassy in Canada or the government of Canada.
Conclusion:
The relationship between India and Canada has experienced a decline due to various controversies and diplomatic missteps. To address this situation, the Canadian government should clarify any speculations and engage proactively with their Indian counterparts. This will help strengthen and expand bilateral ties and cooperation on various international issues where their interests overlap.
