India has strongly rejected Canada’s designation of its diplomats, including the ambassador, as “persons of interest” in the murder investigation of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The Indian foreign ministry called the allegations “preposterous” and part of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “political agenda.”
This tension follows Trudeau’s earlier claims that the Indian government may have been involved in Nijjar’s killing, which India denies, asserting that Canada has provided no evidence.
The diplomatic spat has led to a significant deterioration in relations, with India requesting the withdrawal of Canadian diplomatic staff and suspending visa services.
India’s ministry stated it reserves the right to take further action in response to Canada’s allegations, defending High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma against what it described as ludicrous accusations.
Nijjar was shot in June 2023 and was a prominent supporter of the Khalistan movement, which advocates for a separate Sikh state.
Canadian authorities characterized his killing as a “targeted attack,” while Trudeau has maintained that allegations of Indian involvement are based on intelligence reports.
Despite a slight thaw in relations with the resumption of visa processing, Canadian officials have described ties as “tense” and expressed concerns over potential further violence.
