Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, recently posted on X, formerly Twitter, stating that he discussed India and the importance of upholding and respecting the rule of law with Mohamed Bin Zayed, the President of the United Arab Emirates. The post expressed concerns about the current situation in Israel and the need to protect civilian life.
This post comes amidst a diplomatic dispute between India and Canada. Canada has accused Indian officials of involvement in the murder of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was the chief of banned Khalistan Tiger Force and considered one of India’s most-wanted terrorists. India has strongly denied these allegations.
The allegations made by Mr. Trudeau during the G20 meet in India have garnered a cautious response from the US, as they navigate their relationship between a close ally and an increasingly important partner. The US National Security Council has expressed deep concern and urged India to cooperate with the Canadian investigation.
As a result of the escalating row, India has requested Canada to downsize their diplomatic presence, and both countries have temporarily halted visa services for each other. Additionally, a Canadian diplomat has been expelled from India, and a travel advisory highlighting security risks in Canada has been issued by the Indian government in a retaliatory move.
The Indian foreign ministry has criticized Canada’s allegations as politically driven and stated that no evidence has been provided by the Canadian authorities to support their claims.