India recently accused Canada of blocking an Australian news site, Australia Today, after it published comments from Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during his official visit to Australia. Jaishankar was speaking about the ongoing diplomatic tension between India and Canada, largely fueled by Canada’s allegations that India has targeted Sikh separatists living in Canada.
According to India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Canadian authorities blocked Australia Today’s social media and website from Canadian viewers only hours after the site reported on Jaishankar’s visit and press conference. The news outlet had covered his meetings with Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong and had even published an exclusive interview with Jaishankar. This sudden block raised eyebrows in India, with Jaiswal commenting, “It looks strange to us. These actions highlight Canada’s hypocrisy towards freedom of speech.”
This diplomatic clash began when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused the Indian government of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a high-profile Sikh separatist leader in Canada, last September. This accusation sparked a significant diplomatic fallout, with both countries expelling diplomats and escalating their rhetoric. Trudeau later intensified the accusations, claiming India was also involved in other violent actions targeting Sikh activists in Canada. He went on to say India’s alleged behavior was a “fundamental error” and dangerous for both Canadian and Indian relations.
For India, the accusations seem unsupported. They’ve called them baseless and say Canada has yet to provide hard evidence. India has also voiced concerns that Canada has put Indian diplomats under surveillance, which Jaishankar criticized as “unacceptable” and claimed is part of a pattern where Canada makes accusations without offering specific evidence.
Amidst the controversy, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong acknowledged Canada’s concerns and stated Australia respected Canada’s judicial process. Jaishankar, however, doubled down on India’s stance, suggesting that Canada’s approach to the issue has been reckless.
What adds to the complexity is that Canada and Australia are both members of the Five Eyes alliance, a close-knit intelligence-sharing network that also includes the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. Trudeau mentioned that Canada’s claims against India were based on intelligence from Five Eyes. However, he admitted this information was mainly “intelligence” and not concrete evidence.
Adding fuel to the fire, Canadian officials reportedly leaked information to the press, even naming Indian Home Minister Amit Shah as someone allegedly involved in targeting Khalistan supporters. This information was allegedly part of a strategy by Trudeau’s government to manage the fallout from the accusations, according to Canadian security adviser Nathalie Drouin.
The diplomatic back-and-forth has not only created waves in the political world but has also stirred intense debates over issues like freedom of speech, international security, and the treatment of Sikh separatist groups. This is an issue that could keep escalating as both sides show no sign of backing down.
