Canada seeks to improve India ties

A year after there were diplomatic tensions with New Delhi, Canada, which has now made a host of diplomatic appointments to India, will no doubt look to improve ties with New Delhi, even as Canada’s relations with China have sharply nosedived. The developments assume significance, given that Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has retained power in a fiercely-fought election just a few months ago.

Canadian foreign minister Mélanie Joly had earlier on Friday announced the appointment of

Cameron MacKay as the new High Commissioner to India, succeeding Nadir Patel. In addition, Benoit Préfontaine will be Canada’s Consul General in Bengaluru, Patrick Hébert will be Canada’s Consul general in Chandigarh, while Diedrah Kelly will be Canada’s Consul General in Mumbai. India now is a close strategic partner of the United States and its ties with the West are stronger than ever, a factor that works well for IndoCanadian ties, given that Canada has always been a strong ally of the United States. However, the activities of pro-Khalistan groups in Canada have been a constant source of concern to New Delhi.

It may be recalled that in December last year, a furious India had summoned the Canadian High Commissioner in New Delhi and had issued a demarche to Canada for its “unacceptable interference” in India’s internal affairs in response to recent comments made by some senior politicians there including Canadian PM Justin Trudeau on the farmers’ protests in some states in India. New Delhi had also warned Canada that “such actions, if continued, would have a seriously damaging impact” on bilateral ties, adding that such comments have “encouraged gatherings of extremist activities in front of our High Commission and Consulates in Canada that raise issues of safety and security”.

India had also then said it “expects the Canadian Government to ensure the fullest security of Indian diplomatic personnel” and asked Canadian political leaders to refrain from pronouncements that legitimise extremist activism”. This had been after the Canadian PM Mr. Trudeau had then said the protests were “concerning” and that Canada always backed the right to protest peacefully. But with the farmers’ protests ending recently in India, this irritant seems to have been taken out of the equation in bilateral ties which seems a positive sign.