The conflict between India and Canada over the death of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nizar is showing signs of expanding into a conflict between India and the United States. The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 23rd that the U.S. intelligence agency helped Canada obtain information about the death. There is an analysis that if it turns out to be true, India will protest and the US administration of Joe Biden, who desperately needs India to keep China in check, could be put in an awkward situation.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who values human rights, presented the physical evidence he had secured so far on the 18th, saying, “The Indian government is behind the shooting death of Nizar outside Vancouver in June of this year.” NYT reported that the United States helped secure this physical evidence through wiretapping. Five countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, have formed an information sharing alliance called ‘Five Eyes’, but this information was only delivered to Canada by the United States, he added.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is far right, advocated ‘Hindu priority’ throughout his administration and excluded other religions and ethnic groups. Nizar was also defined as a terrorist. In response, the Trudeau government expelled an Indian diplomat, claiming that India’s involvement in the death of its own citizen was a form of interference in internal affairs. India denied the allegations and strongly protested. It suspended Canadian diplomats and stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens. In the aftermath, free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between the two countries were also completely halted.
After Prime Minister Trudeau’s remarks, the United States engaged in ‘tightrope diplomacy’ by urging India to find out the truth but refraining from directly criticizing Prime Minister Modi. However, if the US intelligence agency’s involvement turns out to be true, the possibility of India passively participating in the US’s effort to keep China in check cannot be ruled out.
The BBC reported that the Trudeau government is feeling quite disappointed that Western developed countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, do not completely take Canada’s side. However, considering that India has a population 35 times that of Canada and is showing the fastest economic growth in the world, it was predicted that there would not be a significant change in this trend. This is the harsh reality of the international situation where ‘power’ takes precedence.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.