Could Justin Trudeau show some restraint towards India? Or has Canada’s foreign policy towards India become that of the Sikhs? The Indian government has asked Ottawa to withdraw 41 Canadian diplomats in response to allegations surrounding the killing of a Sikh in Canada by Indian intelligence services. The Indian government also threatened that Canada would no longer recognize diplomatic immunity for Canadian diplomats who wanted to leave the country if Canada did not comply with its request. What is Trudeau’s response? He is adding fuel to the fire by accusing India of not complying with the Vienna Convention, which is wrong. What is the Trudeau government looking for? Does he want to smooth relations with India or is he trying to worsen relations? It appears that Trudeau has chosen the second option. Given the lack of international logic in this election, we must conclude that it is either incompetence or a desire to please the Sikh minority living in Canada, one not excluding the other.
1) What does the Vienna Convention say about diplomatic relations?
Article 9 of the Convention states: “The receiving State may at any time and without giving reasons notify the sending State that the head or other member of the diplomatic staff of the mission is persona non grata or that any other member of the mission staff is unacceptable The same article stipulates that the receiving state, here India, can refuse to recognize the status of the diplomat, i.e. withdraw his immunity, if the sending state, here Canada, does not withdraw the status of the diplomat concerned within a reasonable period of time. In other words: Trudeau is talking nonsense when he accuses the Indian government of violating the Vienna Convention.
2) What should the Trudeau government have done?
It would have been better if the Trudeau government had simply sent back around forty Indian diplomats, or perhaps a little less, to show their goodwill. The reprisals would have remained in the diplomatic area. Canada could have hoped to find the same number of diplomats in India after the Indian elections. Instead, Trudeau chose to further politicize the debate by responding awkwardly in public.
3) How will the Indian government respond?
India will hold general elections next April. Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not shy away from using the slightest political attack against his country to boost his election campaign. It is likely that Trudeau’s recent comments will provoke further retaliation from the Indian government.
4) Why is the Canadian government so tough on India?
Narendra Modi is an extremely religious and nationalist leader. It is not without reason that his enemies accuse him of trying to undermine democracy in India. However, India-Canada relations appear to be influenced primarily by the interests of the Sikh minority in India. This minority is very critical of the Indian government and several Sikhs want to establish their own state. Canada has around 800,000 Sikhs, and more than half of the Canadian population is of Indian origin.
5) Why should Canada be lenient towards India?
Between two evils we must choose the lesser. The choice is easy between the excesses of India and those of neighboring countries such as China or Russia.
