India and Canada have appointed new envoys, marking a substantial step toward normalizing their relations following a major diplomatic standoff.
India’s Foreign Ministry said it will assign its current envoy to Spain, Dinesh Patnaik, to Canada — while Christopher Cooter will be Canada’s new high commissioner to India.
The rift between the nations stemmed from former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations that Indian agents were involved in the assassination of Sikh leader and activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
According to media reports, Nijjar was a prominent organizer in the Sikh community in Canada. He was also a proponent of the so-called Khalistan movement, which calls for a Sikh homeland by carving out an ethno-religious state in India’s Punjab region.
The movement dates back to India and Pakistan’s independence in 1947, when the idea was pushed forward in negotiations preceding the partition of the Punjab region between the two new countries.
India dismissed Trudeau’s claims as “absurd” and politically motivated, leading to the reciprocal expulsions of top envoys.
After a fractious period of several months, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney in June during the G7 leaders’ summit held in Kananaskis, Canada.
Both agreed to take “calibrated and constructive steps to restore stability in the relationship.”
The appointment of a new high commissioner reflects Canada’s step-by-step approach to deepening diplomatic engagement and advancing bilateral cooperation with India.
Foreign policy experts and diplomats believe that the re-opening of high-level diplomatic dialogue signals hope for pragmatic engagement, paving the way for resumed trade talks and meaningful strategic alignment.
David Mckinnon, a former senior Canadian diplomat, said that the unstable period between India and Canada was marked by disrupted visa services, consulate closures, stalled trade and investment, travel caution advisories, and damaged trust.
Mckinnon said that the return of Donald Trump as US President has completely changed the calculation in Ottawa and Delhi.
Ajay Bisaria, a former high commissioner to Canada, said the new envoys will develop a roadmap for stabilization, normalization, and eventually elevation of the strained bilateral relationship.
Cautious optimism permeates the air regarding the improvement of India-Canada diplomatic ties.
Canada is grappling with challenges from US volatility and is seeking to diversify its ties.
Indian institutional investment is projected to double from the current $100 billion (€85.9 billion) by 2030, as India emerges as a strategic diversification opportunity amidst volatility in China and the US.
Cautious diplomatic engineering is needed to move forward and address security concerns without them becoming burdensome to bilateral ties.
The future of the India-Canada relationship will depend on whether both nations can discuss security concerns without them negatively affecting the bilateral ties.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/are-canada-and-india-doing-enough-to-repair-ties/a-73880468?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
