Bilateral/International Relations

Please review.

KEY POINTS

Impediments in Ind0-Canada relations

·         Khalistan factor – The Ontario Provincial Parliament adopted a resolution terming the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as ‘genocide’.

·         India termed this a misguided motion based on a limited understanding of India, its Constitution, society, ethos, rule of law and its judicial process.

·         Subsequently, Canadian president Justin Trudeau, himself showed up at a function where Khalistani flags and pictures of slain Sikh terrorists were displayed.

·         Emboldened by these developments, self-appointed radical leaders even imposed a ban on the entry of Indian officials in Canadian Gurdwaras.

·         Political parties in Canada often over-protect Khalistani elements for electoral gains.

·         But the bizarre aspect is that the current government seems to be going beyond the needs of mere electoral arithmetic in courting the radicals.

·         As Canada has started becoming conscious of the electoral fallout of such a trend, it is now strategising to balance sikh assertions and India’s concerns.

·         Bilateral agreements – Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPA), have been struck for long.

·         Fast tracking and early conclusion of these would help in boosting bilateral economic trade, investments and related partnerships.

·         This will open up the services sector, and make it easier for highly skilled Indian professionals, to work in Canada.

·         However, this is not likely to happen because, BIPPA is closer to finalisation, but India would prefer that both agreements be operationalised in one go.

Potential areas for co-operation

·         Investments – Canadians have become a major investor in India.

·         For example, in recent years there has been a spike in investments by the well-endowed Canadian Pension Funds like CPPIB and CDPQ into India.

·         Partnership – During PM Modi’s Canadian visit in 2015, both sides agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

·         Agriculture – Pulse import from Canada is another significant aspect in bilateral trade, along with the other multiple agri-tech collaborations between both nations.

·         Liberal Visa - As migration has been tightened in Britain and US, Indian students have begun heading in large numbers to Canada for higher education.

·         Additionally, there is enough potential for stepping up cooperation in areas like Information technology, Science and technology, clean and green tech, aviation and outer space, cold-climate warfare, cyber security, counterterrorism and tourism.

·         The need of the hour is to strengthen mutual trust and confidence, by taking a long term view of the relationship.