Jaishankar stresses on safety of Indian diplomats in meeting with Canadian counterpart

Indian and Canadian foreign ministers met at the ASEAN ministerial in Jakarta to discuss the safety of Indian diplomats in Canada amid threats from pro-Khalistan groups. The discussions were described as candid and constructive, with India acknowledging Canada's responsiveness to its concerns. Threats have been issued by pro-Khalistan online handles, many of Pakistani origin, targeting Indian diplomats and missions in Canada. Canadian authorities have expressed their commitment to ensuring the safety of foreign diplomats in the country.

The foreign ministers of India and Canada met twice on the margins of the ongoing Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial in Jakarta, with external affairs ministers S Jaishankar stressing on the safety and security of Indian diplomats in Canada amid threats to them.

Jakarta: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Melanie Joly during a meeting on the sidelines of ASEAN events, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 14, 2023. (PTI)

After the second meeting with minister of foreign affairs Mélanie Joly on Friday, Jaishankar tweeted, “Discussed the Indo-Pacific and our economic cooperation. Underlined the importance of ensuring the security of our diplomats. And the need to firmly combat incitement to violence.”

The discussions were candid as the security concern was “conveyed very strongly” but constructive as India has seen Ottawa take its concerns seriously and shown great responsiveness to New Delhi’s concerns, a senior Indian official said.

The official said they have “zero complaints” about how Canadian law enforcement has responded to the threats from pro-Khalistan elements to its seniormost diplomats and missions in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver.

The latest in the series of threats was issued, as has become the trend, by pro-Khalistan online handles, many of Pakistani origin, threatening a “picket” of the residence of India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma.

They promoted the rallies to the missions, with pro-India groups facing off against them in front of the Indian Consulate in Toronto last Saturday.

The rallies were held in the name of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, leader of the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice or SFJ in British Columbia. SFJ has blamed India for his “assassination”. Nijjar was murdered in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib in Surrey, which he headed. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team or Investigation Team or IHIT, which is probing the killing, has not ascribed any motive while it seeks the murderers.

Nijjar was alleged to be the head of the Khalistan Tiger Force by Indian law enforcement and faced several terror-related charges, while being the principal SFJ figure in the Metro Vancouver region. None of the charges against him were tested in Canadian courts and SFJ has maintained it does not use violence.

Canadian authorities appear to be aware of the seriousness of the situation. That was signalled earlier by Canada’s minister of foreign affairs Mélanie Joly who had described the posters threatening Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and two Consul Generals in the country, as “unacceptable.” Minister of national defence Anita Anand had tweeted, “Canada will continue to ensure the safety of foreign diplomats in this country – and we take this responsibility seriously.”