Hardeep Singh Nijjar; an Indian Sikh Leader was killed in June 2023 on Canadian soil and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau took the matter very seriously which affected the trade and all sorts of relationships between Canadian and Indian government. After 3 months of investigation, the prime minister of Canada claimed that the Indian government was involved in the killing of Sikh leader. In contrast, the Indian government completely disregarded the claim and bullied the Canadian prime minister in the recent G20 summit. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi stated that Hardeep Singh was a terrorist and conveyed significant apprehensions about the ongoing activities being carried out by the extremist groups in Canada as the prime minister questioned the death of one of the Indian citizens in Canada.
The killing of Hardeep Singh is both uncommon and morally wrong, constituting a breach of human rights if someone is found responsible. Recent reports in the media hint at potential cooperation between the Canadian government and the Western intelligence consortium called the Five Eyes. This suggests that Canada might hold substantial evidence substantiating their assertions, showcasing a joint endeavor with their intelligence partners.
While Canadian government had taken harsh and serious measures against the killing of Hardeep Singh, UK continued keeping all possible trade deals on going with India while US just told the Indian government to cooperate with the Canadian government. Although the reactions from the US and UK governments were surprising and disgraceful, it’s worth noting that if a similar incident had occurred in a different location, such as a Muslim-majority country or China, involving the killing of a Western citizen, the responses from these countries would likely have been significantly distinct. This is an unfortunate reality that we cannot overlook.
The term “multilateralism” as described by Indian foreign policy experts is essentially a form of deceptive language, where India cleverly conceals its true intentions and interests. Similar to their approach with Russia, India will never escalate conflicts beyond a certain threshold. It’s not part of their strategic culture; they prefer to adapt and maneuver when dealing with more powerful adversaries.
So why are Americans ignoring these facts? Do they think that without their support, India will align completely with the Russia-China Bloc? Firstly, it seems that the US is not paying attention to Indian actions, whether in Afghanistan against Pakistan, a key ally in the Global War on Terrorism, or in its recent actions against Canada. This jeopardizes the US’s image as a fair senior partner. Secondly, the US fears that India’s inclination toward the Russia-China Bloc could create unwelcome disruptions.
India serves as the West’s instrument to incite China, and nothing beyond that. Pakistan had lofty aspirations in the 1960s but struggled when it lost support, so it’s unwise to underestimate the potential consequences of India’s assertive foreign policy and security measures. As of now, Canada has not publicly presented evidence regarding the Hardeep Singh assassination. If provided, it could unveil India’s hidden aspects, potentially leading to repercussions, likely within the Indian intelligence bureaucracy.
