As a nail in the coffin, the allegations of Indian involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist leader in Canada in 2023, led to a significant diplomatic fallout8. [...] The political interactions between India and Canada also have been influenced by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's approach towards India having fluctuated between engagement on one hand and caution on the other, given the influence of the Sikh community in Canadian politics9. [...] Some sections of print media hinted at decline in the strength of Indian students seeking admission in academic institutions to the tune of even 86% due to the present decline in bilateral relations between India and Canada11. [...] Infact, both the countries have in the past, expressed concerns about the activities of extremist groups, and there was also an ongoing dialogue to enhance intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism strategies with the joint working group on counter-terrorism providing a platform for deliberating upon the security concerns and coordinating efforts to address them12. [...] Conclusion But any effort in the direction of improving the mutual ties will be subject to cessation of the Canadian government’s support to Khalistan, due to which the India-Canada relationship has already witnessed a downtrend in light of ongoing disputes and controversies.
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