Vientiane, Laos: India firmly rejected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statements that the “safety of Canadians” was a topic of discussion during their brief encounter in Laos at the ASEAN Summit. According to government sources, the two leaders merely exchanged pleasantries without any significant dialogue.
Regarding the issue of pro-Khalistani activities occurring on Canadian soil, Indian foreign ministry sources expressed the expectation that Canada would take decisive action against individuals promoting violence and extremism aimed at India, something they believe has yet to happen.
The sources also warned Canada about the rising threat of extremism in the country, highlighting concerns about the connections between such groups, organized crime, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported that Trudeau characterized his interaction with Modi as “a brief exchange.” He stated, “I emphasized that there is work that we need to do,” and added that the safety of Canadians and upholding the rule of law are essential responsibilities of the Canadian government.
This brief meeting took place nearly a year after Trudeau accused India of being involved in the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Nijjar, who had sought asylum and citizenship in Canada.
India has strongly denied any discussions regarding these claims during the encounter, stating that while it values relations with Canada, they cannot improve without concrete actions from the Canadian government against those engaging in anti-India activities and fomenting hate and violence both in India and Canada.
Relations between India and Canada have significantly deteriorated since Trudeau’s allegations in September about potential involvement by Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18, 2023.
