India-Canada relations have been negatively impacted following allegations of India’s involvement in the recent killing of a Khalistani leader in Canada.
Recent developments in India-Canada relations:
The Killing of Nijjar:
After the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, the Canadian Prime Minister alleged that Indian officials were involved in it, which India has categorically denied as “baseless.”
The political consequences:
With diplomatic relations plummeting, both countries have expelled each other’s diplomats and suspended consular services.
Support from the Five Eyes Alliance:
Canada has enlisted the help of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance to garner international support amid rising diplomatic tensions with India over the serious allegations.
Five Eyes Alliance:
The Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance that includes countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
These countries are parties to the multilateral UK-USA Agreement, a treaty for joint cooperation in signals intelligence.
Features:
These partner countries exchange wide-ranging intelligence as part of cooperation under one of the world’s most robust multilateral agreements.
Since its inception, the agency has subsequently expanded its core grouping to the ‘Nine Eyes’ and 14 Eyes alliances and added more countries as security partners.
The ‘Nine Eyes’ group includes the Netherlands, Denmark, France and Norway, while the 14 Eyes group includes Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain and Sweden.
Key areas of India-Canada relations:
The political relations:
India and Canada established diplomatic relations in 1947. Both nations value democratic values, human rights, rule of law and pluralism.
The two countries cooperate on global issues such as climate change, security and sustainable development at international forums such as the Commonwealth, G20 and the United Nations.
Financial support:
Total bilateral trade in goods between India and Canada stood at US $9.36 billion in 2023 with Canada being the 18th largest foreign investor in India, having invested approximately US $3.3 billion from April 2000 to March 2023.
The ongoing negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) are aimed at boosting economic ties by including trade in goods, services, investment and trade facilitation.
Expatriate Relations:
More than 1.6 million people of Indian origin live in Canada including about 700,000 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), making it one of the countries with the largest Indian diaspora globally.
The diaspora contributes significantly to cultural exchanges, economic activities and bilateral relations, thereby fostering strong social and family ties between the two countries.
Education and Space Innovation:
Joint research initiatives in healthcare, agriculture, biotechnology and waste management are being pursued through programmes such as IC-IMPACTS, thereby fostering innovation.
Space cooperation includes agreements between ISRO and the Canadian Space Agency, including the successful launch of Canadian satellites by ISRO.
Educational exchanges between the two are important. Indian students make up about 40% of Canada’s international student population, increasing cultural diversity.
The Nuclear Cooperation Agreement signed in 2010 (which came into effect from 2013) enables uranium supplies and provides for the establishment of a Joint Committee for monitoring.
The strategic importance:
India plays a key role in Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy, which promotes regional security dynamics while being instrumental in the diversification of the Canadian economy.
The two sides have cooperation on maritime security, counter-terrorism and maintaining regional stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA):
CEPA is a type of free trade agreement that involves trade in services and investment and coordination in other areas of economic partnership.
It also involves coordination in areas such as trade facilitation and customs cooperation, competition and IPR.
Partnership agreements or cooperation agreements tend to be more comprehensive than free trade agreements.
Under CEPA, there is also an agreement covering regulatory issues along with considering the regulatory aspect of trade.
Key challenges in India-Canada relations:
Issue of Diplomatic Immunity:
Canada has cited the Vienna Convention to emphasise the need to protect its diplomatic staff and citizens amid rising tensions in India.
India’s response to these concerns and adherence to diplomatic norms will play an important role in shaping the future of bilateral relations.
The Khalistan issue:
India views Canada’s tolerance towards Khalistani separatist groups as a direct threat to its territorial integrity.
This tension has been further fuelled by Canada’s investigation into alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent supporter of Khalistan. The issue is undermining diplomatic and political trust between the two countries.
Economic and Trade Barriers:
This has hampered efforts to finalise the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) amid growing political distance.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has stagnated and uncertainty prevails over Canadian investments in India due to the diplomatic crisis.
Visa and immigration issues:
Due to the shortage of Canadian diplomatic staff in India, Indians applying for visas are facing a lot of delays. This is having an impact on new applicants (especially students seeking admission to Canadian institutions).
The geopolitical implications:
If the allegations are proved to be true, the diplomatic stand-off between India and Canada could damage India’s reputation at the G20.
Canada’s G7 membership and relationship with the Five Eyes alliance complicates the situation for India’s strategic partners, including the US, the UK, Australia and Japan.
Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy (which was once focused on engaging India) has loosened due to these political tensions, limiting cooperation on security and economic issues in the region.
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Immunities:
Vienna Convention:
The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) establishes the framework for diplomatic relations between independent countries. It outlines the rights and responsibilities of diplomatic missions and their personnel.
The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963) governs the functions of consular officers and their treatment of foreign nationals.
The main provisions:
Political immunity:
Diplomats are granted immunity from arrest and detention, giving them protection from legal procedures in the host country.
Integrity of diplomatic premises:
The diplomatic premises cannot be entered without permission, thereby ensuring the security and confidentiality of communications.
Security of Consular Officers:
These Conventions ensure that the Consular Officers are able to discharge their duties and render assistance to their nationals abroad without any interference.
Solution:
On the Khalistan issue:
An active dialogue between the two governments is necessary to address the concerns related to the Indian diaspora and Khalistan separatism. Respect for each other’s sovereignty and legal frameworks is also essential in resolving these sensitive issues.
Strengthening of economic relations:
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) should be valued with a focus on technology, renewable energy and infrastructure.
Trade and investment frameworks should be strengthened to realize mutually beneficial opportunities.
Balancing geopolitical interests:
Both countries need to carefully balance their relations with major powers such as the United States, China and Russia.
A cautious approach is needed to control these dynamics and enhance the strategic partnership without conflicts.
Taking advantage of multilateral forums:
Use multilateral forums such as G7, Five Eyes to address global challenges and promote shared values, thereby contributing to the strengthening of bilateral relations.
