Narendra Modi’s stern stance against foreign intervention in domestic affairs pressured Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to mellow his rhetoric and support the continuing unrest of farmers.
Last week, Trudeau extended his support to Indian farm demonstrations, saying that the situation was “concerning” and that Canadians were very concerned about family and friends” in Punjab.
Sources say that immediately after the Modi Government summoned the Canadian High Commissioner to New Delhi for Trudeau’s remarks, and the Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, declared that he would bypass the Canada-led Ministerial Coordinating Committee on COVID-19 (MCGC), there was a panic in the Canadian government circles.
The Indian Government sent a strong message that such actions will have an effect on bilateral trade, as has already occurred under the Trudeau administration.
Bilateral trade between India and Canada was worth $7.23 billion in 2017-18.
India’s exports to Canada during this period were $2.51 billion and imports from Canada were $4.72 billion. In 2018-19, the trade was worth $6.3 billion.
Canadian investors view India as an attractive destination for investments, particularly in the post-coronavirus period.
More than 400 Canadian companies are present in India, and more than 1,000 companies are operating in the Indian industry.
Canada is exporting pulses, newsprints, wood pulp, asbestos, potash, iron waste, copper, minerals and industrial chemicals, and wants India to buy more.
Canadian companies would like their Government to sign the Substantive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the Mutual Investment Promotion and Partnership Agreement (BIPPA) with India.
After some deft diplomacy by the Indian High Commission in Canada, sources said that Trudeau had softened his stance when asked about the demarch provided by the Indian Government. In response, the embarrassed Trudeau said, “Canada will always stand up for the right to peaceful protest anywhere in the world, and we are pleased to see progress towards de-escalation and dialogue.”
Sources said that Trudeau’s earlier rhetoric against India in farm protests was motivated by his political compulsions—Six lakh Sikh immigrants in Canada constitute a significant vote Among the Sikhs in Canada, a significant section is politically allied with the Khalistan movement—a violent Separatist insurgent movement in Punjab in the 1980s supported by Pakistan. Thousands of innocent civilians in Punjab were killed by Khalistani’s militants before they were finally wiped out by the Indian security forces.
While the militia was wiped out in the last five years, the Pakistani intelligence service, the ISI, has made attempts to revive the movement with the help of
Khalistani diaspora in Canada, the UK and elsewhere.
In Canada, Khalistani politics continues to influence the Liberal Party and its foreign policy towards India. In the Trudeau government, Khalistani and Pakistani Canadians have assumed significant positions.