India has withdrawn its envoys from Canada and expelled their Canadian counterparts in New Delhi after Indian diplomats were named as “persons of interest” in the investigation of the killing of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The diplomatic ties have tanked, about a year after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian government agents were linked to Nijjar. 

The Canadian police have also named the group of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, saying that they “believe the group is connected to agents of the Government of India”. However, without delving into the Bishnoi group allegations, the Indian government has called Canada’s actions “preposterous” and part of the Trudeau government’s vote bank politics. 

Most of the Indian newspapers’ lead page reports did not mention the Bishnoi gang link and extensively reported on the Indian government’s response. They cited foreign press reports to say that Canada had first expelled six Indian diplomats, including the Indian envoy.   

The Indian Express

The front-page lead headline on The Indian Express read: “India-Canada chill deepens: Flurry of diplomat exits, trading of charges”. The strap said, “Killing of separatist Nijjar: India recalls its envoy”. The report said that the ministry of external affairs had issued a “hard-hitting response” to Canada, while announcing its decision to withdraw the Indian High Commissioner to Canada and “other targeted diplomats”, citing security concerns. 

The report quoted a Canadian government source cited in a Reuters report to say that Canada too had “expelled six Indian diplomats”. It said India expelled six Canadian diplomats in a “tit-for-tat response”. 

It further detailed the MEA’s press statement, saying that the Canadian government had not shared a “shred of evidence” and asking the Canadian diplomats to leave “by or before 11:59 pm on Saturday, October 19, 2024”.

A separate report in the lead package detailed the Bishnoi gang link alleged by Canada. It said the Indian government had called these allegations “absurd”. 

Another report citing a top Indian official said that the US and Canada had together flagged concerns and the officials of both countries “had several rounds of discussions with their Indian counterparts, which have detailed what they described as ‘credible information’ on an Indian government official’s involvement in the transnational killings and plots to kill pro-Khalistan separatist figures in the US and Canada”.     

The Times of India 

“India recalls its envoy, other diplomats as Canada links them to Nijjar murder” read the lead headline on The Times of India. The report’s highlight said that Delhi “rubbishes” claim of its officials’ role. 

The report said that while a Washington Post article said the Canadian government had expelled six Indian diplomats, “the Indian side insisted they had been recalled”. It further detailed the Indian government’s statement, saying they “have no faith in the current Canadian government’s commitment to ensure their security”.

Hindustan Times

“India withdraws its envoy, expels 6 Canada diplomats,” read the lead report on Hindustan Times front page. The report detailed the external affairs ministry’s statement that a diplomatic communication from Canada informed it about the Indian envoy and diplomats being “persons of interest” in an investigation. 

The lead package did not mention the Bishnoi gang link alleged by Canada. It said: “While withdrawing Verma from Ottawa, India is expected to deny accreditation to Christopher Cooter as the next Canadian high commissioner to India, the people said.” It also added that the Indian side hinted at “further retaliatory steps”. 

The Hindu 

“Nijjar case: India, Canada ‘expel’ diplomats” read the front-page lead headline on The Hindu. The report said that while “India says it has expelled six Canadian diplomats and will pull back its High Commissioner; Canada claims it has expelled six Indian officials”. 

The report said that in an “unusually sharp response”, the MEA described the Canadian allegations as “preposterous imputations” and linked it with the political challenges facing Trudeau. It said, “Amid these developments, news agency AP reported that the Canadian government had expelled six Indian diplomats, including the High Commissioner.”

It did not mention the Bishnoi gang link. 

US and Canada media 

Prominent news outlets in the US and Canada reported that the Canadian government had expelled Indian diplomats and accused them of a “criminal campaign”. 

A report in the New York Times was headlined “Canada Expels Indian Diplomats, Accusing Them of Criminal Campaign”. It said, “The Canadian police said the Indian government had orchestrated homicides and extortion in Canada to intimidate Sikh separatists. India, in return, kicked out Canadian diplomats.”

“Canada expels India's top diplomat and alleges wider diplomatic involvement in crimes,” said a report in The Washington Post. “Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada was expelling the Indian high commissioner and the others — all persons of interest, as Canada’s foreign minister said police had uncovered evidence of a worsening campaign against Canadian citizens by agents of the Indian government.”

A CNN report said that Canada had tied Indian government agents to “serious criminal activity”. A report in The Globe and Mail reported that the Canadian police had linked Indian government officials to homicides, extortions and coercion in Canada and said that they pose threat to public safety. 

Another report in National Post said the diplomats’ expulsions reportedly came “as Canada has evidence of ongoing violent criminal activity linked to the Indian government”. 

A report in Fox News quoted Canada’s foreign minister, Mélanie Joly, as saying that Canada had gathered “ample, clear and concrete evidence which identified six individuals as persons of interest in the Nijjar case.”

A report in Toronto Star was titled “Inside Canada’s struggle to engage with the Modi government — and why it ended with the expulsion of six Indian diplomats”. It said described the recent developments as an “extraordinary diplomatic split” and said that the RCMP alleges that “Indian diplomats and consular officials in Canada are tied to murders, violence, intimidation and threats against Canadians”.

It said, “And 22 individuals stand charged with extortion, or acts of intimidation, coercion, threats and harassment that Canadian authorities now see as likely connected to agents acting at the Indian government’s direction. Police have given warnings to 13 Canadians since last September that they are potential targets of Indian agents.” 

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