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This is the latest step towards rebuilding ties after India-Canada relations nosedived over ex-Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s allegations over the death of a Khalistani separatist.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Prime Minister Narendra Modi | (Reuters Image)
In a significant development, the governments of India and Canada have reached a deal to share information about cross-border crimes in the latest step towards rebuilding ties nearly two years after ties nosedived following former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s allegations on the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The new information-sharing deal, which includes law enforcement agencies from both countries, will allow both sides to swap intelligence on transnational crime and syndicates, terrorism and extremist activities, according to a report by Bloomberg, citing officials who asked not to be identified because the discussions are still private.
Officials said details of the accord are still being worked on and it was still unclear if the agreement will be announced publicly during the upcoming G7 Summit, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited by his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney. The two leaders are expected to meet on the sidelines of the summit.
For Canada, the information-sharing agreement will also include an emphasis on investigating extra-judicial killings, according to the report.
India-Canada Relationship Reset
The new agreement between the two countries is expected to involve higher-level officials than previous efforts between the two countries to share security information. It will initially start as a conversation among police forces, but may expand over time to include other agencies, as per officials.
India and Canada have taken initial steps to resuming warmer diplomatic relations, beginning with PM Modi congratulating Carney for his election victory as well as a conversation between the two countries.
Carney invited PM Modi to the G7 Summit chaired by Canada, despite an ongoing investigation into Nijjar’s death. Carney had emphasised that India’s presence at the intergovernmental political and economic forum is essential, where discussions on important issues, including security and energy, would be held.
“The forthcoming meeting (between Modi and Carney) between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G-7 summit will offer an important opportunity to exchange views on bilateral and global issues,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.
India-Canada ties nosedived in the aftermath of Nijjar’s killing after former PM Justin Trudeau publicly alleged New Delhi’s role behind the killing. India has repeatedly denied these allegations, and has taken a decisive stand against what it perceives as Canada’s non-seriousness in dealing with the Khalistan issue.
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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