‘Relationship with India Important’: Amid Tensions, Canada Minister Insists on Continuing Partnership

Terming the connection with India as “necessary”, Canada’s Defence Minister Invoice Blair on Sunday stated that his nation will proceed to pursue partnerships just like the Indo-Pacific technique whereas the investigation of the killing of a Sikh separatist chief continues.

Tensions flared between India and Canada following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s explosive allegations of a “potential” involvement of Indian brokers within the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, on his nation’s soil on June 18 in British Columbia. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.

India angrily rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated” and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat transfer to Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian official over the case.

Canada had been in search of deeper commerce, defence and immigration ties with India earlier than the “credible intelligence,” as Trudeau referred to as it, was first raised with Canadian officers, International Information reported.

In an interview aired Sunday on The West Block, Blair prompt Canada will proceed to pursue these partnerships whereas the investigation into allegations continues, calling the connection with India “necessary.” “We perceive that this may be, and has confirmed to be, a difficult problem with respect to our relationship with India,” he was quoted as saying by International Information.

“However on the similar time, now we have a duty to defend the regulation, defend our residents, and on the similar time ensure that we conduct a radical investigation and get to the reality.” If the allegations are confirmed true, Blair stated “there’s a very important concern that Canada can have with respect to the violation of our sovereignty within the homicide of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil.” Blair stated the Indo-Pacific technique was nonetheless a essential one for Canada and has led to an elevated army presence within the area and commitments for additional patrol capabilities.

The technique commits USD 492.9 million over 5 years towards these army priorities, out of a complete of practically USD 2.3 billion over the identical interval.

On Thursday, India requested Canada to return down onerous on terrorists and anti-India components working from its soil and suspended visa companies for Canadians, as escalating tensions between the 2 nations over the killing of Nijjar pushed their ties to an all-time low.

India additionally requested Canada to downsize its diplomatic workers within the nation, arguing that there ought to be parity in power and rank equivalence within the mutual diplomatic presence. The dimensions of Canadian diplomatic workers in India is bigger than what New Delhi has in Canada.