Link to Artical: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/19/india/canada-india-diplomats-removed-intl-hnk/index.html
Summary: 41 Canadian Diplomats were withdrawn, alongside their families, from India. This is After the killing of Prominent Sikh leader and Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The killing was recently found to be linked to the Indian government. This disagreement started with the expulsion of an Indian diplomat from Canada, with India quickly responding with the expulsion of a senior Canadian diplomat who was based in India. Nijjar was an important Canadian leader so Canada has reported that they will take all steps necessary “to hold perpetrators of this murder to account.” Multiple Sikh community groups have urged Canada to suspend cooperation with India. Nijjar was listed on the Home Ministry’s list of UAPA terrorists, this past year due to the fact the Khalistan movement is outlawed in India and considered a national security threat by the government.
Analysis: In recent history both India and Canada have been peaceful countries that don’t tend to get involved in very many conflicts. Seeing tensions between two generally peaceful countries like this is rare but not impossible. If this conflict worsens we could see lasting negative effects in these two countries’ future relationship, especially if Canada follows through with the suspensions the Sikh community groups have pushed for. This could affect trade and national security between these two pillar countries. These countries hold their relationship due to many of their shared values, if this conflict continues it could cause huge disputes, not only globally between these countries, but also interstate. Canada’s population is 4% Indian heritage, if lots of these citizens hold close to their heritage it could cause a political dispute between the Canadian government and its citizens.
Connections to Class: Both Canada and India have taken approaches that are similar to the ones seen before. Instead of a violent or invasive approach, both countries evacuated multiple diplomats and stayed calm, this represents how these countries are both status-quo powers and follow a more defensive realist approach. This is especially noticed when looking at Canada’s statements following this dispute: Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie stated the Canadian government would not retaliate in kind, saying that to do so would be a violation of international law, and added: “The only thing we’re encouraging India to do is respect international law.” This shows the intentions of Canada and further represents their defensive realist approach.