India-Canada Relations

Why in News:

1. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claims that the Indian government played a role in the killing of a Khalistan Separatist.
2. The Canadians expelled an Indian diplomat, and India retaliated with a top Canadian diplomat’s expulsion.
3. Khalistan flags were seen outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
4. Disturbing Parade Scene in Brampton: Depiction of Indira Gandhi’s Assassination.
5. India rejected Canada’s claim of a Vienna Convention violation after Canada withdrew 41 diplomats.

 India-Canada Diplomatic Relations: Canada is home to approximately 4 percent of people of Indian origin, the deep cultural and political ties between Canada and India are strengthened by a growing network of official dialogues, agreements, MoUs, and working groups.

• Rooted in shared democratic values and strong people-to-people ties.
• Encompass trade, defense, space, and education.
• Ongoing efforts towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
• Challenges include Sikh separatist groups in Canada, although Sikh militancy has waned in India.
• India’s structural challenges like labor laws and market complexities.
• Enhance mutual understanding and explore India’s investment potential for a prosperous relationship.

In-depth analysis of bilateral relations

1947: India established diplomatic relations with Canada, based on strong democratic values, pluralism, culture, and people-to-people contact.

1948: The ties saw some grey clouds 1948 when Canada supported a referendum in the Indian state of Kashmir.

1949: The bilateral relations witnessed a positive push during Nehru’s visit in 1949 1954: Canada assisted in the field of nuclear technology, i.e. CIRUS (Canadian-Indian Reactor, US).

2000s: The visit of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien in 2003 turned out to be a landmark event between the two nations which was followed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit in 2009 and 2012 which was complimented by Dr. Manmohan Singh, the then Prime Minister of India in 2010.

Our bilateral ties with Canada witnessed a significant transformation during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Canada in April 2015 which was the first in 42 years when any Indian Prime Minister visited Canada for bilateral ties.

2021:

• India was Canada’s 14th-largest export partner and 13th-largest trading partner.
• Both India and Canada are working to forge a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and  Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) to explore more ways to Trade and Investment.

Trade Relations:

• In 2022, India ranked as Canada’s 10th largest trading partner.
• Both nations are working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA).
• Bilateral Trade

• Growing Trade: Bilateral trade between India and Canada reached $9 billion, a 57% increase from the previous year.

• CEPA Negotiations

• Halted CEPA: The India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations stalled, raising trade concerns.

• Critical Imports from Canada

• India’s Reliance: India depends on Canada for fertilizers, fossil fuels, and red lentils, particularly potash supplied by Canpotex.

• Exports

• Canada imports pharmaceutical products, machinery, boilers, nuclear reactors, iron, steel, and textiles from India.

Partnerships and Organizations:

Canada and India collaborate in various multilateral forums, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, Pacific Alliance, United Nations, UNESCO, and the World Trade Organization, to address global challenges.

Political Relations:

• India and Canada have diplomatic relations dating back to 1947. Their relationship is built on shared democratic values, multicultural societies, and strong people-to-people contacts.
• Several high-level visits have occurred, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visits to India in 2009 and 2012 and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Canada in 2010.
• Both countries engage in various bilateral mechanisms like Foreign Office Consultations, Strategic Dialogue, and Joint Working Groups in various fields.

Cultural Relations:

• The “Year of India 2011 in Canada” (YOI) was organized, which included cultural events, education summits, and lectures, to strengthen cultural ties.
• The Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute promotes academic relations between the two countries, supporting research and academic collaborations.
• Indian students in Canada number around 23,000, making India the second-largest source of foreign students.

Indian Community:

• Canada is home to a significant Indian community, with approximately 962,670 Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) as of the 2006 Census. Prominent PIOs in Canada include Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains, and Buddhists.
• Nine Indo-Canadian MPs sit in the House of Commons, and there is one in the Senate. Several prominent Indo-Canadian organizations, like the Canada India Business Council (CIBC) and the Canada India Foundation (CIF), are active in Canada.

FEW SPEED BUMPS IN BILATERAL RELATIONS

HISTORY

1974: The first one came, when India carried out its first nuclear test and our Canadian counterpart believed that these tests were carried out with the help of the CIRUS reactor which was against their ideology of peaceful use of nuclear energy.

1980s: The second, came when Punjab was going through a militancy phase and India expressed its reservations regarding the activities of Khalistan in Canada.

1985: The third was linked with the crash of Kanishka airline which killed all 329 passengers on board, over the Atlantic Ocean as a result of an explosion from a bomb planted by Canadian Sikh terrorist

1998:  The fourth blow came again during India’s Pokhran Nuclear test.

2020: Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau’s remarks on the Indian farmers’ protest in December 2020 further deteriorated the bilateral ties.

2023: the final nail in the coffin came with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claims that the Indian government played a role in the killing of a Khalistan Separatist.

Khalistan Movement: Backgrounder

Khalistan Movement:

• Origin: The Khalistan movement, a Sikh separatist drive for a sovereign state, began after India’s independence and partition.
• Momentum: Gained strength with demands for autonomy in Punjab, highlighted in the 1973 Anandpur Sahib Resolution.
• International Attention: By 1971, it garnered global notice, evolving into a significant issue.

Operation Blue Star

• Objective: A 1984 military operation to remove militants from the Golden Temple and neutralize Khalistan leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
• Consequences: Achieved its aims but sparked outrage within the Sikh community, triggering the demand for Khalistan.

Aftermath of Operation Blue Star

• Indira Gandhi’s Assassination: Led to communal violence and prolonged insurgency in Punjab until 1995, possibly aided by Pakistan.
• Ongoing Khalistan Movement: Still finds support, especially in the Sikh diaspora, driven by political, social, and non-state actors.

Khalistan in Canada

• Historical Presence: A 40-year history of tension between India and Canada due to the Khalistan movement.
• Canadian Stance: Accused of sheltering Khalistani supporters, attributed to political considerations.
• Influence: Driven by a vocal diaspora minority with historical ties to the Punjab region; not a reflection of the majority.
• Geopolitical Factors: Supported by countries like China and Pakistan to create problems for India.

Khalistan in India

• Decline in Popularity: Little resonance within the Sikh population in India, but persists in the diaspora.
• Global Movement: Khalistan had global roots, with its first declaration in the United States in 1971.
• International Support: During the Punjab insurgency, China and Pakistan provided material support to Khalistani militants.

Why Khalistan Persists in Canada

• Not All Sikhs: Not all Canadian Sikhs support Khalistan; it’s mainly kept alive by those with historical connections to the movement’s peak.
• Disconnect: Diaspora support doesn’t align with present-day Punjab realities.
• Political Influence: A vocal minority maintains influence by rallying supporters for political parties.
• Generational Change: As new generations of Sikhs grow up abroad with less memory of India, the movement is expected to dwindle.
• Geopolitics: Khalistan is more about geopolitics than popular support, used by countries like China and Pakistan against India.

What is the Vienna Convention and its guidelines?

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, adopted in 1961, outlines key guidelines for diplomatic relations, including:

1. Status of Diplomatic Missions: Establishes the framework for embassies and consulates.
2. Diplomatic Immunity: Diplomats are immune from the host country’s jurisdiction.
3. Respect for the Receiving State: Diplomats must respect the host country’s laws and not interfere in its internal affairs.
4. Inviolability of Diplomatic Premises: Diplomatic missions are inviolable, and their premises are exempt from search and seizure.
5. Communication with the Receiving State: Specifies channels for diplomatic communication.
6. Protection of Diplomatic Agents: The host country must ensure the safety of diplomats.
7. Termination of Diplomatic Relations: Procedures for ending diplomatic relations are outlined.
8. Optional Protocols: Two optional protocols provide additional dispute resolution mechanisms.

The way forward : Enhancing India-Canada Relations Amidst Challenges

1. Diplomatic Dialogue:

• Prioritize open and constructive diplomatic dialogue to address current tensions.
• High-level talks to better understand concerns and find common ground on contentious issues.

2. Economic Collaboration:

• Strengthen economic partnership through trade negotiations and CEPA.
• Encourage trade facilitation measures, sector-specific collaborations, and investment promotion efforts.

3. Counterterrorism and Security:

• Collaborate on counterterrorism efforts.
• Emphasize intelligence sharing and cooperation in addressing threats from extremist groups.

4. People-to-People Ties:

• Leverage the Indian diaspora in Canada and Indian students for cultural exchange.
• Foster cultural events, educational partnerships, and community engagement programs.

5. Revisiting Bilateral Agreements:

• Reaffirm existing bilateral agreements, aligning them with current priorities.
• Address areas like science and technology cooperation, agriculture, and education.

6. Sikh Community Engagement:

• Open dialogue and platforms for discussions to address concerns within the Sikh community.
• Promote intercultural understanding and address grievances to alleviate tensions.

7. Sovereignty and Bilateral Relations:

• Emphasize respecting each other’s sovereignty.
• Avoid allowing domestic issues to overshadow the broader bilateral relationship.

8. Multilateral Engagement:

• Continue collaborating in international forums (e.g., United Nations, G-20, Commonwealth) to address global challenges.

9. Media and Public Diplomacy: – Promote responsible reporting and public diplomacy efforts to accurately represent the complexities of the relationship and strengthen efforts.

Conclusion

• Canada should focus on India as its most important economic trade partner as India is a budding economic powerhouse in Asia with immense opportunities in the coming times.
• Within the next five to seven years, around twenty percent population of the working age group will be comprised of Indians, and in the next one and a half decades or so, the economic magnitude of a few Indian cities will be comparable with middle-income countries.
• The bilateral trade with the joint efforts of both Indian and Canadian governments has reached around C$ 8 billion which is a win-win situation for both democratic nations.
• Moreover, the constructive Track 1.5 Dialogue will further explore the possibility of cooperation and the progressive future of both nations

Syllabus: Current events of national and international importance Bilateral, Regional, and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Tags: #IndiaCanada#Khalistan#ViennaCovention#InternationalRelations#DiplomaticTies.