Tension in India-Canada relations

Tension in India-Canada relations

Main Examination: General Studies Question Paper-2

(International Relations)

September 21, 2023

Why in news:

  • After the 2023 G-20 meeting, Canada's Trudeau government accused India of killing a Canadian Sikh activist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was part of the Khalistan movement, in Canada. Due to which recently, there has been tension in the diplomatic relations between the two countries.
  • According to the Government of Canada, this is against Canada's sovereignty.
  • Political experts believe Trudeau is attempting to divert attention from his government's failures to meet the vital needs of Canadians.
  • Canada condemned human rights violations in India during Narendra Modi's tenure.
  • Additionally, the increase in anti-India activities by Sikh terrorists in Canada, as well as the perceived lack of Canadian initiative to address it, has created tensions between the two countries.
  • India responded that Canada should mind its own business and not interfere in India's internal affairs.
  • India rejected Canada's allegations and in response to the expulsion of an Indian diplomat also expelled a senior Canadian diplomat from the country.

Causes of tension in India-Canada relations:

  • Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered in Surrey on 18 June.
  • Three months after the murder, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed suspicion of Indian agencies' involvement in the murder.
  • The Indian government rejected these allegations.
  • Canada expels top Indian diplomat.
  • India retaliated by asking Canada's top diplomat to leave India within five days.

India-Canada relations:

  • Indo-Canadian relations are bilateral relations between Canada and the Republic of India, based on "mutual commitment to democracy", "pluralism" and "people-to-people ties", according to the Government of Canada.
  • Both countries are former British colonies and full members of the Commonwealth. As fellow members of the Commonwealth, Canada and India exchange High Commissioners rather than ambassadors.
  • Canada has one of the largest Indian immigrant groups in the world. Canada and India trade extensively.

Political:

  • The parliamentary structure and procedure of India and Canada are similar in many respects. House of Commons MP Raj Saini has been appointed as the President of the Canada-India Parliamentary Association, following the general election held in October 2019.
  • Canada is represented in India by the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi.
  • India is represented in Canada by a High Commission in Ottawa and Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver.

Economic:

  • In the year 2009, bilateral trade between India and Canada was approximately $4.14 billion.
  • In the year 2020, bilateral trade between India and Canada was worth US$6.4 billion. India was Canada's 14th largest export market and 13th largest trading partner overall in 2021.
  • More than 400 Canadian companies have a presence in India and more than 1,000 companies are actively doing business in the Indian market.
  • Indian companies in Canada are active in sectors such as information technology, software, steel, natural resources and banking.
  • India's exports to Canada include pharma, iron and steel, chemicals, gems and jewellery, nuclear reactors and boilers.
  • Canada has the world's largest resources of uranium, natural gas, oil, coal, minerals and advanced technologies in hydropower, mining, renewable energy and nuclear energy.
  • India mainly imports items like pulses from Canada. Canada is a preferred destination for Indian students pursuing higher education. However, the two countries have not yet established any cooperation to tackle brain drain and raise India's education and support systems to international standards.

Science and Technology:

  • The primary focus of both countries has been on promoting industrial R&D and development of new intellectual property processes, prototypes or products.
  • Under the IC-IMPACTS programme, the Department of Biotechnology implements joint research projects in health care, agro-biotech and waste management.
  • IC-IMPACTS (India-Canada Center for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability) is the first and only, Canada-India Research Center of Excellence.
  • The Department of Earth Sciences and Polar Canada have launched a program to exchange knowledge and scientific research on cold climate (Arctic) studies.

Space:

  • ISRO and the Canadian Space Agency have signed several agreements in the field of exploration and use of outer space.
  • Several Canadian nanosatellites have been launched by Antrix, the commercial arm of ISRO.
  • ISRO also launched Canada's first Low Earth Orbit satellite from Sriharikota in PSLV, its 100th satellite launched in 2018.

Defence Sector:

  • India and Canada have been cooperating with each other in international forums, especially through the United Nations, Commonwealth and G-20.
  • A Statement of Intent on Cooperation was signed between DRDO and Defense Research and Development Council of Canada in the year 2015.
  • In the year 2018, India and Canada had signed an agreement to counter terrorism.
  • Both the countries have played an important role in ending terrorism through the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism.

Impact on India-Canada relations:

  • According to Canadian military officials, this diplomatic dispute will not affect the defense relations between Canada and India. 15 army chiefs and delegations from 22 countries will attend the event to be held in Delhi on 26 and 27 September. The conference is being co-hosted by the US Army.
  • The objective of this conference is to formulate a common strategy to ensure peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region in the backdrop of China's increasing military aggression in the region.
  • The role of military diplomacy in resolving various crises will be discussed at the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Staff Symposium (IPACC). Also, promoting cooperation and reciprocity between the military forces of the region will also be discussed. The event will provide a unique opportunity for common policy formulation towards a shared vision and will help in strengthening the friendship through formidable and indelible military-to-military relationship. IPACC is a biennial event that was started in 1999.
  • The logic behind this is that 40 percent of the foreign students studying in Canada are Indians. Only Canada benefits from this. And hence he would like to avoid any kind of risk.

Key facts about Canada:

  • Canada is the second largest country in the world by area, after Russia.
  • Canada controls approximately 2/5 of the North American continent.
  • Canada has a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.
  • The border between the United States and Canada is determined by the 49th parallel.
  • In addition to the Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake, Lake Winnipeg in Canada, and the 5 Great Lakes on the US border, there are several other lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario.

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Mains Exam Question

Discuss the long-term impacts of the recent tensions in India-Canada relations.