Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a brief exchange with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Laos, marking their second face-to-face interaction since Trudeau accused India of being linked to the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia last year.
Speaking to reporters, Trudeau reiterated his call for a resolution to the ongoing diplomatic tension, stating, “I emphasized that there is work that we need to do.” While Trudeau did not provide specific details of the conversation, he maintained that the safety of Canadians remains a top priority for his government.
The diplomatic strain between the two countries began in September 2023, when Trudeau publicly announced that Canada was investigating “credible allegations” of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s death. Nijjar was shot dead by masked assailants outside a Sikh temple in June 2023. Four Indian nationals have since been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy in connection with the case, which is ongoing in Canadian courts.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly recently described the relationship between Canada and India as “tense” and expressed concerns about the potential for further violence against Canadians. Joly testified at the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference, urging India to participate in the investigation into Nijjar’s murder and warning of possible threats to other individuals.
In response to questions about Joly’s comments, Trudeau confirmed that the safety of Canadians, especially Indo-Canadians, has been a central focus. “We are seeing troubling patterns of violence affecting Indo-Canadians right across the country,” Trudeau said, promising continued vigilance on the issue.
India has consistently denied involvement in Nijjar’s murder, calling the allegations “absurd” and accusing Canada of harboring violent extremists. The tensions reached a peak when India expelled a senior Canadian diplomat and issued travel advisories for its citizens in Canada.
U.S. Links to Alleged Assassination Plot
The situation has garnered international attention, particularly after the United States announced it was investigating an alleged assassination plot with connections to Indian officials. An unsealed U.S. indictment in November 2023 revealed that New Delhi officials allegedly offered $100,000 to a drug dealer to hire a hitman to kill U.S.-Canadian dual citizen and Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York, as well as potentially target Nijjar.
While India initially responded to the U.S. allegations by launching an internal investigation, no similar cooperation has been extended to Canada regarding Nijjar’s case. Reports suggest India blamed “rogue operatives” rather than government officials for the plot outlined in the U.S. case.
When asked by CBC News about India’s differing responses to the Canadian and U.S. cases, Trudeau refrained from commenting but reiterated that Canada remains committed to ensuring the safety of its citizens.
The prime minister is scheduled to testify at the ongoing Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Ottawa next week, where he is expected to address Canada’s stance on foreign interference and the threats associated with the Nijjar case.
The meeting at the ASEAN Summit comes after the leaders’ last in-person interaction at the G7 Summit in June, where they also had a brief exchange regarding the strained bilateral relationship. Trudeau emphasized on Friday that Canada needs to continue developing trade and people-to-people ties with India but acknowledged that “there are real issues that we need to solve for.”
As Canada and India navigate this diplomatic rift, the focus remains on resolving the underlying tensions while protecting the safety of Canadians both at home and abroad.