Trudeau Urges Indian Government to Collaborate in Ongoing Investigation Into Nijjar’s Death

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has firmly stated that Canada will never tolerate the involvement of foreign governments in threatening or killing Canadian citizens on its soil, calling it an “unacceptable violation” of the nation’s sovereignty. Trudeau urged the Indian government to cooperate with Canada’s investigation and acknowledge the seriousness of the evidence shared so far.

In a statement on October 14, Trudeau emphasized that Canada is governed by the rule of law, and the protection of its citizens is paramount. He explained that when Canadian law enforcement and intelligence agencies pursued credible allegations that Indian government agents were involved in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the government acted accordingly.

Trudeau mentioned that despite multiple efforts to engage with the Indian government, including requests for cooperation on this matter, India’s response was insufficient. As a result, six Indian officials were identified as persons of interest by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in connection with these criminal activities. Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has since issued deportation orders for these individuals, barring them from returning to Canada or acting as diplomats.

Trudeau condemned India’s lack of cooperation, emphasizing that Canada’s priority is the safety of its citizens. He called the situation a serious breach of Canada’s sovereignty and international law and urged India to align its operations with legal principles.

The diplomatic tensions escalated further when India expelled six Canadian diplomats in retaliation, accusing the Canadian government of supporting extremism and separatism against India. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs criticized Trudeau’s administration, stating that India reserves the right to take further actions. These developments have strained relations between the two nations, which have been deteriorating since Trudeau’s claims of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s death surfaced in 2023. India has consistently denied these allegations, deeming them “absurd” and politically motivated.