If Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election, he will take a strong stance against Khalistani separatists, and even Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be compelled to respond, according to Shalabh Shalli Kumar, U.S. industrialist and founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition.
In an interview with ANI, Shalabh Kumar stated that India and the United States would aim to pursue a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). When asked if a potential Trump presidency could address the Khalistani issue and ease strained Indo-Canada relations, Kumar replied, “Yes, that will happen.”
“In fact, what happened after President Trump’s tweet, even Prime Minister Trudeau had to make a comment. He softened his position. Khalistanis are just a simple distraction. It’s very few people. I have tons and tons of friends from Punjab and I have tons of Sikh friends,” Kumar said, adding that his friends condemn the activities of Khalistani separatists. “In the United States, it’s not going to happen under his (Donald Trump) watch. But even in Canada, Trudeau will have to listen,” he added.
Must Read: Ex-Canadian Minister Calls Trudeau An “Idiot” Over Sikh Issues Stance
Kumar emphasized the close friendship between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, predicting that the next four years would be positive for U.S.-India relations under Trump’s leadership. “Kamala Harris is just Hindu by name, but her actions and policies are anti-India. She wants a free Kashmir. 5-7 people in her campaign are pro-Pakistanis. Pakistan is a bankrupt state but it is now a satellite state of China. So subsequently it is a big challenge for India and the US. China will use Pakistan as their proxy and create some trouble. But, for India and America’s relationships, we are looking forward to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries. (Former) President Trump and PM Modi are good friends and hence the next four years are going to be great under the presidency of Donald Trump,” he said.
The United States is set to hold its presidential election on November 5, with the race between Trump (78) and Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris (60) anticipated to be highly competitive. Over 160 million voters are expected to cast ballots, with the outcome potentially bringing either a return for Republican former President Trump or the election of Kamala Harris as the first woman to hold the office.
According to recent polling data, both candidates are neck and neck, with approximately 75 million voters having already participated. As of November 4, NBC News and Emerson College project a 49 percent tie, while Ipsos suggests a slight edge for Harris (49 percent-46 percent) and AtlasIntel gives Trump a narrow lead (50 percent-48 percent).
Must Read: Who Is The Suspended Cop Harinder Sohi And What Happened At The Pro-Khalistan Protest?
India has consistently voiced concerns over extremism, violence, and anti-India activity in Canada, calling for action from Canadian authorities. Diplomatic relations between India and Canada have worsened after Canadian officials made accusations—without providing evidence—regarding an assassination on Canadian soil. In response, India withdrew its High Commissioner from Canada, citing concerns over the safety of diplomats due to the Trudeau government’s approach to extremist groups.
Last month, India summoned Canada’s then Charge d’Affaires, Stewart Wheeler, stating that targeting of the Indian High Commissioner and diplomats was “completely unacceptable.” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India noted, “We have no faith in the current Canadian Government’s commitment to ensure their security. Therefore, the Government of India has decided to withdraw the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials.”
The deterioration in ties began after Trudeau alleged in Canadian Parliament last year that there were “credible allegations” of India’s involvement in the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India denied the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated,” accusing Canada of fostering extremist, anti-India elements within its borders. Nijjar, designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency, was killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year.
In recent testimony during Canada’s foreign interference inquiry, Trudeau admitted that his government had provided intelligence rather than concrete evidence of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing. “Behind the scenes (were trying) India to co-operate with us. Their ask was…give us the evidence you have on us. Our response was it is within your security agency. You should be looking into how much they know, you should be engaging… ‘No, no but show us the evidence’. At that point, it was primarily intelligence, not hard evidentiary proof. So we said let’s work together…,” he explained.
Also Read: “Cowardly Attempts to Intimidate Diplomats”: PM Modi Condemns Canada Temple Attack and Threats
