Raja Mohan Discusses India-Canada Relations and Diaspora Politics
In Ottawa, Canada, foreign affairs expert Raja Mohan, who is the founding director of Carnegie India, shared insights on the complex dynamics of international politics and the influence of the Indian diaspora in Canada. He highlighted the different approaches of the United States and Canada towards Khalistani groups, noting that the Biden administration does not engage in politics with these groups, unlike Canada.
Mohan’s comments were made during a podcast by the Canadian Global Affairs Institute titled ‘The Global Exchange: Navigating India-Canada Relations amid a major Diplomatic Break.’ He explained that while the US, Canada, and other countries have retail politics, the significant Sikh population in Canada, particularly under Prime Minister Trudeau, has made their influence more pronounced in Canadian politics.
He pointed out that countries like Australia, the US, and Britain have faced similar issues but have managed them differently. Mohan suggested that Canada could learn from Australia’s private handling of such matters. He emphasized that the long-standing presence of Indian immigrants, especially Punjabis, in Canada has deeply integrated them into domestic politics, leading to potential friction.
Diplomatic tensions between India and Canada have been rising, with Canada accusing India of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a claim India has denied. The situation worsened after a Khalistani attack on a Hindu temple in Brampton.
Doubts Revealed
Raja Mohan -: Raja Mohan is an expert in foreign affairs, which means he studies and understands how countries interact with each other. He often shares his knowledge about international relations.
India-Canada relations -: India-Canada relations refer to how India and Canada interact and work together as countries. Sometimes they have disagreements or issues to solve, just like friends might have arguments.
Diaspora -: Diaspora refers to people from one country who live in another country. In this context, it means Indians who live in Canada and how they are involved in Canadian politics.
Khalistani groups -: Khalistani groups are people who want a separate country for Sikhs, called Khalistan, in the Punjab region of India. This is a sensitive topic and can cause disagreements between countries.
Biden -: Biden refers to Joe Biden, who is the President of the United States. He is mentioned because the US has a different approach to dealing with Khalistani groups compared to Canada.
Australia’s private handling -: Australia’s private handling means that Australia deals with similar issues quietly and without much public attention. This approach is suggested for Canada to consider.
Khalistani terrorist’s death -: This refers to a serious accusation where Canada blamed India for being involved in the death of a person linked to Khalistani groups. India has denied this involvement.
Brampton -: Brampton is a city in Canada where a recent attack on a Hindu temple took place. This incident is part of the rising tensions between India and Canada.