‘People-to-people ties are strong, but…’: India accuses Trudeau government of ‘exacerbating’ bilateral crisis India News | Parami News

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

India on Thursday accused Canada’s Justin Trudeau government of “exacerbating” the current diplomatic crisis, while acknowledging the “vibrant” people-to-people ties between the two countries.
“India’s economic ties with Canada are very strong and dynamic. We have a large indian diaspora “We have a bridge in Canada through which we maintain close people-to-people ties with Canada. We also have probably the largest international student population in Canada,” MEA spokesman Jaiswal said in a news release.
“This particular (diplomatic) crisis is caused by Trudeau governmentbaseless accusations. That’s how we see our relationship going forward,” he added.

Canada shares no evidence: India

Jaiswal reiterated New Delhi’s long-held assertion that the charges leveled by the Trudeau government over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Nijjar were “baseless” and aimed at “smearing” India. , Trudeau recently acknowledged that Ottawa did not have “irrefutable evidence” to accuse India of involvement in the killings in the first place.
In public testimony on Wednesday, Canada’s prime minister acknowledged that there was no “hard evidence” when Canada accused Indian government agents of involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, only intelligence. last year.
“Canada has not shared any evidence since 2023. Canada has not provided any evidence so far,” Jaiswal said of Trudeau’s admission.
The MEA also reiterated its accusations, saying Ottawa was motivated by domestic politics and harmed New Delhi’s image on the global stage. “This pattern is politically motivated by Canada. This is a clear pattern of discrediting India for reasons best known to them,” he said.
“26 extradition requests were made but no action has been taken so far”
when asked extradition request He said India has made 26 extradition requests so far, but Canada has not taken any action on them. The spokesperson also said that India has asked Canada to arrest members of Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang, but Canada has not acted on New Delhi’s concerns.
“There are 26 extradition requests pending in Canada, these are from the past decade or more, and there are several provisional arrest requests pending in Canada for certain criminal elements… We have worked with Canada safety-related information was shared with the authorities,” an MEA spokesperson said.
The MEA also accused Trudeau of turning a blind eye to anti-India elements operating in Canada. “Prime Minister Trudeau has said he believes in the One India policy, but so far no action has been taken against the anti-India elements we have called for,” he added.

India confirms “CC 1” is no longer a government employee

The MEA also responded to questions about the ongoing investigation into India’s alleged involvement in “thwarting” an attempt to kill Guru Patwant Singh Pannu.
Earlier, the US suggested that the ‘CC 1’ ex-RAW officer allegedly involved in the failed plot to assassinate Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is “no longer an employee of the Government of India” Later, an MEA spokesperson confirmed the news but did not address the issue further.
“He is not part of the Indian government machinery. Other than that, I have nothing to share,” Jaiswal said.
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a news conference on Wednesday that India’s High Commission of Inquiry held a “productive meeting” with U.S. government officials on Tuesday, with both sides sharing updates on their respective investigations into the Pannon case.
The United States on Monday announced a visit to India by the High Commission of Inquiry, amid a diplomatic backlash between New Delhi and Ottawa after Canada suggested that Indian diplomats were involved in the Hardeep Singh Nijjar assassination.

How did it get here?

A diplomatic spat between India and Canada erupted last June after Trudeau accused India of orchestrating Nijar’s killing in British Columbia. India called the claims “ridiculous” and part of a broader political move by Trudeau.
Tensions took a different turn after Canada named the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats as “persons of interest” in the Nijar investigation.
In response, India expelled six Canadian diplomats after summoning charge d’affaires Stuart Wheeler. The Indian government condemned Canada’s “unwarranted attack” as unacceptable and expressed concerns for the safety of its diplomats amid rising extremism. India also announced the withdrawal of High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, asserting that it had the authority to take further action over Canada’s support for extremism.
Canada initially made the accusations without clear evidence, straining an already fragile relationship, particularly over the issue of Canada allowing pro-Khalistan activities on its soil. India has been critical of Canada for providing space to these elements and accused them of enjoying impunity.