Justin Trudeau’s resignation: A relook at India-Canada’s tumultuous relations in recent years

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned on Monday, amid growing diplomatic tensions with India and internal controversies, including the Nijjar case and the Student Parent Program. His resignation follows a series of events, including a recent Canadian government clarification regarding allegations linking Indian officials—Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval—to criminal activities in Canada. The statement, issued by Nathalie G. Drouin, Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council, stressed that there was no evidence to support these allegations, aiming to dispel speculation.

The tensions escalated after Trudeau’s accusations that India was conducting covert operations on Canadian soil. In particular, the killing of pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023, allegedly involving Indian agents, has strained relations. Trudeau claimed that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had credible evidence linking Indian agents to the murder, a charge that India vehemently denies. The controversy deepened with remarks made by Canadian officials, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison, who allegedly implicated India’s Union Home Minister Amit Shah in targeting pro-Khalistan activists in Canada.

Additionally, the government's handling of the Student Parent Program, which faced criticism from Canadian nationals and the Indian diaspora, added to Trudeau's troubles. India protested these developments, further exacerbating diplomatic tensions. The culmination of these events ultimately led to Trudeau's resignation. Here's a look at the major events that unfolded in the recent years.

2010-2013

• June 2010: India and Canada signed a Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (NCA).
• September 2013: The NCA came into force.

2015

• April 14-16, 2015: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Canada, engaging in discussions and addressing a gathering of 10,000 diaspora members in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. Several Agreements/MoUs were signed during this visit.

2018
February 18-24, 2018: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited India for a state visit. Several MoUs were signed to increase cooperation in various sectors, including education, sport, and civil nuclear cooperation.
2023

• February 6, 2023: Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly visited India for the India-Canada Strategic Dialogue.
• March 1-2, 2023: Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly attended the G-20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in India.
• March 3, 2023: Mélanie Joly participated in the Raisina Dialogue in India.
• July 14, 2023: Indian External Affairs Minister met Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly in Jakarta at the ASEAN Regional Forum.
• July 16, 2023: Indian Finance Minister met Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in Gandhinagar, India.
• February 23-25, 2023: Canadian Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland visited Bengaluru for the G-20 Finance Ministers’ meeting.
• May 7-11, 2023: Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited Canada, co-chairing the 6th Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment.
• June 11-13, 2023: Canadian Minister for International Development Harjeet Sajjan visited India for the G-20 Development Minister’s meeting in Varanasi.
• June 15-17, 2023: Canadian Minister of Agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau, attended the G-20 Agriculture Ministers’ meeting in Hyderabad.
• July 28, 2023: Canadian Minister for Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault attended the G-20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministers’ meeting in Chennai.
• August 24-25, 2023: Canadian Minister for International Trade Mary Ng attended the G-20 Trade and Investment Ministerial meeting in Jaipur.
• September 13-16, 2023: Premier of Yukon, Ranj Pillai, visited India and met with the Kerala Chief Minister.
• September 18, 2023: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a statement in the House of Commons, later echoed by Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly. India rejected these statements on September 19.
• September 20, 2023: India issued an advisory for Indian nationals and students in Canada.
• September 21, 2023: Visa services for Canadian nationals were suspended by India.
• October 14, 2023: India withdrew 6 diplomats due to safety concerns in Canada, followed by the expulsion of 6 Canadian diplomats.
• October 26, 2023: India resumed visa services in four categories.
• November 22, 2023: E-visas for Canadian nationals in certain categories were resumed.

2024

• March 3-6, 2024: Indian delegation participated in PDAC 2024 in Toronto.
• June 14, 2024: Indian Prime Minister met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit in Fasano, Italy.