India-Canada Diplomatic Relationship and Khalistani Terrorism

• India accuses Canada of acting as a safe haven for Khalistani separatists, citing Canada’s failure to prevent the 1985 Air India bombing.
• Canada and India have recently expelled their top diplomats due to allegations of possible links of Indian intelligence with the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
• The issue is escalating Canadian Hindu-Sikh tensions.
• The Trudeau government’s accusations against India are not solely to pander to Sikh voters.
• Canadian media presents India’s version of the dangers of Khalistani diaspora politics, while Indian media substitutes journalism with jingoism.
• Surveys show 54% of Sikhs in Canada intend to vote for the Conservative Party and 21% for Trudeau’s party in the next elections.
• The Trudeau government has been criticized for its failures in countering Chinese interference in Canadian elections.
• Canadian scholars argue that the Air India bombing was a “foreign tragedy” and victims were not “real Canadians.”
• Indian public assumes institutions work similarly to those in Canada.
• Canadian law enforcement is more systematic and police independence is guarded.
• India is angry about Khalistan referendums and Khalistani parades glorifying the assassination of Indira Gandhi.
• Legal complexities include denial of extradition requests for Khalistani terrorists due to lack of meeting Canadian legal standards.
• Canadian media has asked tough questions of the government and spread disinformation about the dangers of Khalistani diaspora politics.