In a sharp response to recent diplomatic tensions, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned Canadian Deputy High Commissioner Stewart Wheeler on Monday, following “preposterous” allegations made against Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma during an investigation in Canada.
India’s MEA expressed outrage after receiving a diplomatic communication from Canada suggesting that Verma, along with other Indian diplomats, was a “person of interest” in an ongoing investigation into the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Tensions between India and Canada have been high since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of involvement in Nijjar’s killing, allegations which India has consistently rejected as “absurd” and “politically-motivated.”
India’s Firm Response to Canada
The MEA issued a strongly-worded statement condemning the allegations as part of a deliberate political strategy by the Trudeau government. “This latest step follows interactions that have again witnessed assertions without any facts. This leaves little doubt that, under the pretext of an investigation, there is a deliberate strategy to smear India for political gains,” the ministry said.
The statement further criticized Trudeau for pandering to pro-Khalistan elements and accused him of “vote bank politics.” It also highlighted Canada’s failure to provide any concrete evidence regarding the allegations, despite repeated requests from India.
Defence of Indian High Commissioner and Warning of Further Steps
India defended High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, emphasizing his 36-year-long distinguished diplomatic career, and called the aspersions cast on him “ludicrous.” The statement accused the Canadian government of propagating an anti-India separatist agenda for narrow political gains.
India warned Canada that it “reserves the right to take further steps in response to these latest efforts” and noted that it had already implemented reciprocal measures concerning Canada’s diplomatic representation in India.
Relations between the two nations have remained strained since Trudeau’s initial allegations in September 2023, which were met with strong rejection from India. The situation has been further aggravated by Canada’s perceived leniency towards pro-Khalistan groups operating on its soil.
The latest diplomatic exchange follows a brief meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trudeau on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Laos, where tensions between the two leaders were evident. Trudeau described the meeting as a “brief exchange,” signaling continued discord between the nations.