Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and advocate for a separate Sikh state called Khalistan, was murdered in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in Vancouver in June 2023. Indian authorities had earlier accused him of terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder. Four Indian nationals were arrested in connection with his death, leading to tensions between Canada and India. New Delhi claimed that Canadian diplomats were involved in the murder, which Canada denied.
Following the murder, India received a diplomatic communication from Canada suggesting that Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats were persons of interest in the investigation. India dismissed these accusations as “ludicrous” and recalled their envoy, Sanjay Kumar Verma, back to India. New Delhi expressed its lack of faith in Canada’s commitment to ensuring the security of the six expelled diplomats. India labeled the allegations connecting them to the killing as a political smear campaign against the country for ulterior motives.
India strongly denied any involvement in the murder, calling the allegations preposterous. The Foreign Ministry of India stated that it reserved the right to take further action against Canada for its support of extremism, violence, and separatism against India. Last year, India had briefly curbed visas for Canadians and forced Ottawa to withdraw diplomats, and they threatened further retaliation in response to the current accusations. The tension between the two countries escalated as India expressed its dissatisfaction with Canada’s handling of the situation.
Canadian envoy Wheeler met with the Indian Foreign Ministry, where he stated that Canada had provided credible and irrefutable evidence of ties between Indian government agents and the murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil. This evidence was provided in the interest of both countries and their people to uncover the truth behind Nijjar’s death. However, India decided to expel Wheeler in response to the accusations made by Canada. The situation between the two countries remained tense as both sides clashed over the murder investigation and diplomatic relations.
The murder of Nijjar has strained the relationship between Canada and India, with each country accusing the other of involvement in the crime. Canada’s allegations against Indian diplomats have led to India recalling its envoy and expelling the Canadian representative in retaliation. The ongoing tensions have fueled political animosity between the two nations, with India accusing Canada of supporting extremism and separatism against India. Despite efforts to provide evidence and clarify the situation, the murder investigation has further complicated the already strained diplomatic ties between Canada and India.
