Vincent Rigby on Strained Canada-India Diplomatic Relationship | The Globe and Mail
October 15, 2024 | Vincent Rigby wrote an article about the  in The Globe and Mail. The Canadian government expelled six Indian diplomats, including the High Commissioner, brought India-Canada relations to their lowest ebb in 40 years. India as a response, expelled six Canadian diplomats from New Delhi, as a tit-for-tat strategy.Â
India-Canada relations have been strained for years. The deterioration can be traced back to the Air India bombing of 1985, but it reached its nadir under the Trudeau and Modi governments. For India, the central issue has been Ottawa’s perceived unwillingness to tackle Sikh extremism within Canada.
Rigby suggested that Canada must do two things in response. First, it must not soften its stance. It needs to show resolve. This episode also proves once again that if the government does not take national security seriously in an increasingly unstable world, Canada will pay the price. Second, Ottawa needs to work closely with its key Western allies. Strong public messaging from our Five Eyes partners condemning Indian actions will be critical. Washington, in particular, must play a more active role in helping find a way forward.