Canada and India are mid-spat, but a top Indian Army General said Wednesday that it won’t impact defense ties.
The diplomatic argument comes after an accusation from Ottawa on Monday. They accused New Delhi agents of links to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader. He was killed in Canada’s British Columbia in June.
“It (row between Canada and India over Sikh murder) doesn’t impact us. The Canadian chief is coming in here (for IPACC). His delegation is coming in here,” Major General Abhinaya Rai of the Indian Army said. “And like, in case of even when we look at the relationships with some neighbors of ours, where we may have had a standoff but we continued to engage them at all levels, be it the military-level and at the diplomatic level, and I am referring directly to China here. Our diplomatic efforts, as also our military efforts, with even Canada continue to be there, and we as a part of the IPAM (Indo-Pacific Armies Management), they will form an important partner in this journey.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canadian intelligence agencies were pursuing credible allegations into the matter. The same day, Ottawa expelled India’s top intelligence figure.
India quickly dismissed the charge and ousted a Canadian diplomat in retaliation.
Major General Rai made the comment at a preview event for an upcoming defense conference. The Indo-Pacific Army Chiefs Conference (IPACC) begins in New Delhi on September 25th. Canada’s army chief is set to attend.