New Leaf of Thaw

Canada must stay focused on the larger picture of a rapidly evolving global order where economic and security partnerships are now more essential than ever

- SHANTANU MUKHARJI

With the exit of erstwhile Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the advent of Mark Joseph Carney as the new Prime Minister of Canada, fresh hopes have been raised of putting Indo-Canadian ties back on track, which had suffered a derailment due to Trudeau's baseless suspicion of India for carrying out anti-Canadian activities on Canadian soil—especially the alleged killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a Gurdwara in Surrey, Vancouver, in 2023. The withdrawal and expulsion of a significant number of diplomats from both Missions had impaired relations between India and Canada. Trudeau's indiscreet decisions and administrative failures led to a communal divide between Hindus and Sikhs within the Indian diaspora in Canada, which witnessed a string of violent activities.

However, with Carney's arrival and the defeat of Sikh separatist activist Jagmeet Singh, things have certainly brightened and paved the way for a rapprochement between the two countries. Most importantly, it is now assessed that the new Canadian Prime Minister will restore bilateral ties, return to diplomatic sanity, not encourage Sikh separatism, and will not allow any anti-India activities by Khalistani supporters—which had included virulent anti-India propaganda, vandalism of Indian diplomatic Missions/Consulates, and the desecration of Hindu places of worship.