NEW DELHI: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday amid escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Canada following the killing of Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
A statement from Trudeau’s office noted, “Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed recent developments regarding a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents associated with the Indian government.” The leaders emphasized the need to ensure the safety of their citizens and the importance of upholding the rule of law. Trudeau reiterated Canada’s commitment to cooperating with India to address this serious issue.
Tensions intensified after Canada implicated the Indian envoy in the investigation into Nijjar’s death. In response, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and withdrew its high commissioner and other officials from Canada. Earlier that day, India “strongly” rejected a diplomatic communication from Canada that suggested the Indian high commissioner and other diplomats were “persons of interest” in the investigation, calling it “preposterous” and a part of Trudeau’s political agenda.
“We have received a diplomatic communication from Canada suggesting that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats are ‘persons of interest’ in an investigation. The Government of India strongly rejects these accusations, attributing them to the political agenda of the Trudeau government centered around vote bank politics,” the statement read.
Harpreet Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen since 2015 and an immigrant from India in 1997, was known for advocating for an independent Sikh nation, Khalistan. He was killed in June 2023 in the parking lot of a Vancouver Sikh temple. The diplomatic rift deepened after Trudeau claimed in Parliament that there were “credible allegations” of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s murder, which India has vehemently denied, calling the accusations “absurd” and “motivated.” Nijjar had been designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020.
