Ottawa: in diplomatic pressure On India-Canada relations, India’s envoy to China warned, Sikh separatist group exist Canada Crossing what New Delhi considers “a big red line” National Security and the territorial integrity of the country. Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma on Tuesday made his first public remarks after three Indian nationals accused of killing Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar were arrested by Canadian police and appeared in court This is expressed in .
According to CTV News, Verma appeared to link the case to a domestic crime.
He also warned that by calling for the separation of their homeland from India, Sikh groups in Canada were crossing what New Delhi sees as a “big red line” as a matter of national security.
“India’s fate will be decided by Indians, not foreigners,” Verma told the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent think tank.
He also told the Security Council that despite “a lot of noise,” relations between India and Canada were generally positive.
Verma also said that the two countries were “working hard to resolve this issue”. “We stand ready to sit at the negotiating table and we are doing so,” he said.
Verma said the deeper issues behind recent “negative” developments have to do with Canada’s misunderstanding of “decades-old problems,” which he blamed on Indo-Canadians for their re-emergence.
He said his main concern was “national security threats from Canadian soil,” noting that India does not recognize dual citizenship, so anyone who immigrated was considered a foreigner.
“If I can call it malicious intent by foreigners towards India’s territorial integrity, that is a big red line for us,” he said.
He did not specify whether he was referring to foreigners involved in Nijjar’s case or the broader issue of Sikh separatism.
India told Canada on Tuesday that celebrating and glorifying violence should not be part of any civilized society. Democracies that respect the rule of law should not allow radicals to intimidate in the name of free speech.
“We remain concerned about the safety of diplomatic representatives in Canada and want the Canadian government to ensure they can carry out their duties without fear,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on the violence. Imagery used by Canadian extremists to oppose India political leadership.
“We reiterate our call on the Canadian government to stop providing haven and political space to criminals and separatists in Canada,” an MEA spokesperson said in New Delhi.
Earlier on Tuesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly insisted that the Indian government was complicit in Nijar’s killing last year.
On June 18, 2023, Canadian citizen Nijjar was shot and killed outside the monastery in Surrey.
The killing triggered a wave of protests, with some Sikh groups distributing posters threatening Indian diplomats in Canada by name.
Jolly said her goal remains to engage in diplomacy with India privately.
She said she would let police investigate and not provide any new comment on the case.
“We support the allegation that a Canadian was killed on Canadian soil by Indian agents,” Jolly said on Parliament Hill.
“The RCMP investigation is ongoing. I will not be commenting further and neither will other officials in our government,” she said, referring to the ongoing RCMP investigation.
At the same time, Verma also mentioned that “a lot of positive things” are happening in India-Canada relations.
He pointed out that two-way trade volume reaches 26 billion Canadian dollars per year. In the past 11 months, Canadian lentil exports have increased by 75%, and Indian pharmaceutical preparations shipped to Canada have increased by 21%.
On Tuesday, Sikhs for Justice called for the cancellation of Verma’s speech, citing the Nijjar case and allegations of foreign interference in India.
According to CTV News, Verma appeared to link the case to a domestic crime.
He also warned that by calling for the separation of their homeland from India, Sikh groups in Canada were crossing what New Delhi sees as a “big red line” as a matter of national security.
“India’s fate will be decided by Indians, not foreigners,” Verma told the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent think tank.
He also told the Security Council that despite “a lot of noise,” relations between India and Canada were generally positive.
Verma also said that the two countries were “working hard to resolve this issue”. “We stand ready to sit at the negotiating table and we are doing so,” he said.
Verma said the deeper issues behind recent “negative” developments have to do with Canada’s misunderstanding of “decades-old problems,” which he blamed on Indo-Canadians for their re-emergence.
He said his main concern was “national security threats from Canadian soil,” noting that India does not recognize dual citizenship, so anyone who immigrated was considered a foreigner.
“If I can call it malicious intent by foreigners towards India’s territorial integrity, that is a big red line for us,” he said.
He did not specify whether he was referring to foreigners involved in Nijjar’s case or the broader issue of Sikh separatism.
India told Canada on Tuesday that celebrating and glorifying violence should not be part of any civilized society. Democracies that respect the rule of law should not allow radicals to intimidate in the name of free speech.
“We remain concerned about the safety of diplomatic representatives in Canada and want the Canadian government to ensure they can carry out their duties without fear,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on the violence. Imagery used by Canadian extremists to oppose India political leadership.
“We reiterate our call on the Canadian government to stop providing haven and political space to criminals and separatists in Canada,” an MEA spokesperson said in New Delhi.
Earlier on Tuesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly insisted that the Indian government was complicit in Nijar’s killing last year.
On June 18, 2023, Canadian citizen Nijjar was shot and killed outside the monastery in Surrey.
The killing triggered a wave of protests, with some Sikh groups distributing posters threatening Indian diplomats in Canada by name.
Jolly said her goal remains to engage in diplomacy with India privately.
She said she would let police investigate and not provide any new comment on the case.
“We support the allegation that a Canadian was killed on Canadian soil by Indian agents,” Jolly said on Parliament Hill.
“The RCMP investigation is ongoing. I will not be commenting further and neither will other officials in our government,” she said, referring to the ongoing RCMP investigation.
At the same time, Verma also mentioned that “a lot of positive things” are happening in India-Canada relations.
He pointed out that two-way trade volume reaches 26 billion Canadian dollars per year. In the past 11 months, Canadian lentil exports have increased by 75%, and Indian pharmaceutical preparations shipped to Canada have increased by 21%.
On Tuesday, Sikhs for Justice called for the cancellation of Verma’s speech, citing the Nijjar case and allegations of foreign interference in India.
