With Mr Mark Carney taking over as the new Prime Minister of Canada, India on Friday hoped the two countries can rebuild ties based on mutual trust and sensitivity.
”The downturn in India-Canada relations was caused by the license that was given to the extremist and secessionist elements in the country,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing.
His statement came amid reports that the two nations have resumed contact between their security agencies and are looking at the possibility of appointing new high commissioners, after the strain in ties over the 2023 killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had alleged the hand of Indian agents in Nijjar’s killing without providing any evidence. His statement dented the relationship further with India withdrawing its high commissioner and five other diplomats who were declared “persons of interest” in the investigation into Nijjar’s killing and expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.
Regarding Indian PhD candidate Ranjani Srinivasan at Columbia University who self-deported herself to Canada from the US for alleged pro-Hamas sympathies, the spokesperson said, ”We are not aware of her getting in touch with our consulate or our embassy for any help. We only came to know of her departure from the United States through media reports and we understand that she has gone to Canada.”