Recent India-Canada relations marked by tensions and diplomatic expulsions. Recently, India expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in response, and Canada expelled an Indian diplomat.
- Tensions escalated after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hinted at a link between the Indian government and the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
- The tensions are centered around the Sikh independence movement, known as the Khalistan movement.
- India has accused Canada of sheltering Khalistani activists.
- The killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on June 18, 2023., who supported the demand for a Sikh homeland in India’s northern state of Punjab, further strained relations between the two countries.
Q.: What was the trigger for the escalation in tensions between India and Canada?
a) A trade dispute
b) The assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
c) A diplomatic visit
d) A cultural exchange program
Ans : b) The assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
