India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has confirmed that he engaged in a telephone conversation with his Canadian counterpart, as both nations endeavor to de-escalate strained relations. The call, which took place late Sunday, represents the highest level of diplomatic contact between Ottawa and New Delhi since Mark Carney assumed the Canadian prime ministership in March.
Tensions between Canada and India escalated following accusations of New Delhi’s involvement in the 2023 assassination of a Canadian Sikh, claims which India has consistently denied. Jaishankar stated that he had “discussed the prospects of India-Canada ties” with the newly appointed Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and conveyed his “wishes for a very successful tenure” to her. Anand, whose parents are of Indian origin, expressed on X (formerly Twitter) her anticipation for “strengthening Canada-India ties, deepening our economic cooperation, and advancing shared priorities.”
Canada hosts the largest Sikh community outside of India and is home to activists advocating for “Khalistan,” a separatist movement seeking an independent state for the religious minority carved out of Indian territory. Ottawa previously accused India of orchestrating the 2023 killing in Vancouver of 45-year-old naturalized Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistan campaigner, and targeting other Sikh activists linked to the movement. India has repeatedly dismissed these allegations, which led to a significant downturn in diplomatic relations, with both nations expelling a number of top diplomats last year.
The Khalistan campaign traces its roots back to India’s independence in 1947 and has been implicated in the assassination of a prime minister and the bombing of a passenger jet. This issue has remained a contentious point between India and several Western nations with substantial Sikh populations. New Delhi demands stricter action against the Khalistan movement, which is banned in India, with its key leaders often accused of “terrorism.” Canada is slated to host the G7 summit next month. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received invitations to attend previous summits since 2019, when France extended an invitation for him to attend the summit in Biarritz. There are no details currently available regarding whether Modi has been invited to the upcoming summit in Canada.
