Tensions between India, Canada mount amid fresh allegations in Hardeep Singh Nijjar death case—What happened this week

Diplomatic tensions between Canada and India escalated this week, with both countries expelling diplomats in a tit-for-tat move on Monday. Controversy erupted last year after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed he had “credible allegations” of India's hand in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The allegations—dubbed “absurd” and “motivated” by New Delhi—have led to repeated flare-ups in the ensuing months. 

Hardeep Singh Nijjar—designated a Khalistani terrorist by the National Investigation Agency in 2020—was gunned down outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June last year. Canadian authorities have repeatedly linked the case to “agents” of the Narendra Modi-led government. Meanwhile, New Delhi has accused Ottawa of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in their country. 

The case has also drawn eyes of the international community, with the United States asking India to “cooperate” with the Canadian investigation.

What happened this week?

The Nijjar debate began afresh this week after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner claimed they had information on certain “criminal activity carried out by agents of the Government of India.” 

An RCMP probe team has allegedly garnered a “significant amount of information on breadth and depth of criminal activity orchestrated by agents of the Government of India.” The Canadian official said Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada had leveraged their official positions to engage in clandestine activities—such as collecting information for the Government of India—by various means.

“Despite law enforcement's action, the harm has continued, posing a serious threat to our public safety. We reached a point where we felt that it was imperative to confront the Government of India and inform the public about some very serious findings that have been uncovered through our investigations,” the RCMP Commissioner said.

How did India respond?

New Delhi released a statement on Monday “strongly” rejecting the assertions. It also countered claims that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats were “persons of interest” in an investigation and termed it as “preposterous imputations” and part of the political agenda of the Justin Trudeau government. 

India also accused the Canadian government of long-standing hostility. It said the Trudeau administration had consciously provided space to violent extremists and terrorists “to harass, threaten and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada”.

India expelled six Canadian diplomats hours after it summoned Canada's Charge d'Affaires Stewart Wheeler and conveyed that the “baseless targeting” of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials in Canada was completely unacceptable."

(With inputs from agencies)