Kathmandu. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on his election victory and expressed hope for a possible resumption of ties between New Delhi and Ottawa.
“We look forward to working with you to strengthen our partnership and open up more opportunities for our people,” Modi said in a statement, adding, “India and Canada are bound by shared democratic values, a strong commitment to the rule of law and vibrant people-to-people ties.”
Relations between Canada and India have been strained following allegations of New Delhi’s involvement in the killing of a Canadian Sikh. India has denied the allegations. Canada is home to the largest Sikh community outside India and includes activists of the ‘Khalistan’ movement. Khalistan is a separatist movement seeking an independent state for religious minorities carved out of Indian territory.
Ottawa had previously accused India of killing 45-year-old Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver in 2023 and targeting other Sikh activists associated with the movement. India has repeatedly denied those allegations.
This has sent diplomatic relations into a tailspin, with both nations expelling a series of top diplomats last year. The Khalistan movement, which began after India’s independence in 1947, has been blamed for the assassination of a prime minister and the bombing of a passenger jet.
It has become a bitter issue between India and many Western countries with large Sikh populations. New Delhi has demanded strict action against the banned Khalistan movement in India. Its leading leaders have been accused of “terrorism”.
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