The recent meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, is set to address significant issues surrounding India’s diplomatic relations with Canada and China. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is scheduled to provide insights into these matters during the meeting, which will take place at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
India's relationship with Canada has been under considerable strain due to growing concerns over extremism and anti-India activities within Canadian borders. The Indian government has repeatedly urged Canadian authorities to take action against such incidents.
The tension escalated following a violent disruption at an Indian consular camp located at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario. This incident, which received widespread condemnation from both Indian officials and the global community, highlights the deteriorating ties between the two nations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack on the Hindu temple, characterising it as a “deliberate attack” and expressing dismay at attempts to intimidate Indian diplomats.
His strong remarks were echoed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which called upon Canada to protect places of worship and ensure the safety of Indian nationals residing there. The MEA spokesperson emphasised the need for accountability in instances of violence and reassured that consular services would continue despite the hostile environment.
The relationship between India and Canada has taken a downturn after Canadian leaders made allegations regarding an assassination on their soil without providing substantiated evidence. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who is currently in Australia, shared his concerns about the attack at the Hindu temple, suggesting that it reflects a troubling trend where political space is being ceded to extremist elements within Canada.
He articulated that such incidents and the surveillance of Indian diplomats are unacceptable, illustrating a pattern of behavior from the Canadian government that undermines diplomatic relations.
The Indian government has responded to these tensions by recalling its High Commissioner from Canada and formally summoning a representative from the Canadian High Commission to express its concerns regarding the allegations made against Indian officials.
The government’s diplomatic note criticized the baseless references made about Indian Home Minister Amit Shah during a parliamentary discussion in Ottawa, framing them as part of a larger strategy to discredit India.
In contrast, India’s relationship with China has seen some improvement recently, particularly following an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.
This agreement was reached just days before the BRICS Summit in Russia, where Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a bilateral meeting. Jaishankar noted that while the disengagement process regarding troop deployments in certain areas has been completed, further de-escalation remains necessary.
The parliamentary committee meeting, therefore, serves as a crucial platform for discussing these pressing issues. The agenda includes oral evidence on the demands for grants for the Ministry of External Affairs for the upcoming fiscal year, alongside a focused briefing by Foreign Secretary Misri on the evolving dynamics in India’s foreign relations, particularly concerning Canada and China.
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