By Ira Dugal
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Canada, which in 2023 accused senior Indian diplomats of links to the murder of a Sikh activist, is stressing domestic security and the rule of law as it seeks deeper ties with New Delhi, a top minister said on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, citing U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods, says Ottawa needs to diversify trade and boost ties with major nations, including those with which it has strained relations.
Foreign Minister Anita Anand, in India on an official visit, said Canada’s approach was to start by focusing on domestic public security.
“I am indicating the importance at all times of the necessity to follow and uphold Canadian law,” she told reporters on a conference call.
“This has been top of mind for me in every conversation, and I never hesitate to raise the importance of it,” said Anand, who met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shortly after Anand spoke, the Sikhs for Justice group, which advocates for a Sikh homeland to be carved out of India, accused her of “prioritizing trade and diplomatic relations with India over the safety and sovereignty of Canadians.”
Relations between New Delhi and Ottawa were strained for almost two years after then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused New Delhi of involvement in the killing of a Canadian Sikh separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India denied Canada’s allegations of involvement in the murder and, in turn, accused Ottawa of fostering separatist groups on its soil.
“We consider it extremely important to protect the domestic population from foreign interference, from transnational repression, and from any contravention of the criminal code or the rule of law on Canadian soil,” Anand said in a separate interview with Reuters on Tuesday.
India and Canada agreed on Monday to revive ties, pledging to collaborate on critical minerals, trade, and agriculture, a joint statement said.
India is Canada’s top source of temporary foreign workers and international students, but a backlog of applications has built up since Trudeau’s allegations in 2023.
“We are very keen to support Canadian academic institutions and their desire for additional students internationally, and in particular what we stressed … was the importance of Indian students in Canada,” Anand told Reuters.
Anand is due to travel from India to China, whose relations with Canada are also chilly.
(Additional reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa, writing by David LjunggrenEditing by Rod Nickel)
