- Canada says it suspects India involved in Sikh leader murder

Canada has expelled a senior Indian intelligence official after credible information linked Indian government agents to the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June. This development further strains bilateral ties between the two countries, as India is already unhappy with Canada’s failure to crack down on Sikh protesters advocating for an independent homeland. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned any foreign government’s involvement in the killing as a violation of Canada’s sovereignty. Nijjar, who supported an independent Khalistani state, was designated as a “terrorist” by India in July 2020. Canadian security agencies have been actively investigating the potential link between Indian government agents and Nijjar’s death. Trudeau expressed his concerns to top Indian intelligence and security officials, and personally raised the issue with Prime Minister Modi during the G20 summit. The Indian high commission in Ottawa has not commented on the matter. Last week, Modi conveyed strong concerns about protests in Canada against India to Trudeau. Canada has a significant Sikh population, with approximately 1.4 million people of Indian origin and 770,000 Sikhs reported in the 2021 Census. The trade talks between Canada and India, which were progressing earlier this year, have now been frozen due to these developments. Bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to C$13.7 billion in 2022. Trudeau did not directly accuse India of involvement in the murder, but Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated that if the allegations are proven true, they would be unacceptable. Canada has expelled the Indian head of intelligence in the country, and Trudeau urged India to cooperate in the investigation. Several senior Canadian government officials have visited India recently to express Ottawa’s concerns. In April, India requested increased monitoring of UK-based supporters of the Sikh separatist movement after protesters removed the Indian flag from the diplomatic mission’s building in London.