West downplays India's concerns on Khalistan due to lack of direct threat to them: Canadian security expert

In light of the ongoing India-Canada diplomatic tensions, Canadian security expert Joe Adam George said that the Khalistan movement does not pose a direct threat to Western nations. This perception, he mentioned, has led to these countries to dismiss India's concerns about Khalistani extremism.

He pointed out in an exclusive interview to ANI, "The Khalistan movement does not pose a direct threat to the West, at least not often. So, hence which is why you see Western countries try and downplay or ignore India's pleas, no matter how legitimate India's concerns may be."

George also highlighted the issue of the Canadian government confusing separatist militancy with the Sikh religion, saying, "They assume that all Sikhs are Khalistanis and all Khalistanis are Sikhs, and that's where the problem lies fundamentally."

The conflict between India and Canada intensified recently when Canada listed India’s High Commissioner and other diplomats as "persons of interest" in the investigation of Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s death. In response, India recalled its High Commissioner and five other diplomats from Canada.

India has long accused Canada of not addressing extremist elements for political gain, with 26 Indian extradition requests pending for over a decade.

George referred to the Bloom Review report in the UK, which warned against Khalistani activities and suggested the British government protect wider Sikh communities from these threats. George said, "When it comes to applying it, the Trudeau government refuses to look into it for partisan gain. So that's where fundamentally the problem lies with Canada today."

George also mentioned the 1985 Air India bombing, Canada's worst terror attack, to explain the Canadian government's lack of awareness.

"There was a poll done last year which found that 9 out of 10 Canadians are not aware of or have little knowledge about the Air India bombing. So that itself tells you, why the Canadian government does not look into the Khalisani issue seriously," he said.

Commenting on US and Canadian responses to the issue, George said that the US has handles the situation more professionally due to its strategic ties with India. He contrasted this with Canadian PM Trudeau's public accusation against India, which escalated tensions.

Earlier, the US urged India to cooperate with Canada’s investigation into Nijjar’s killing. US department of state spokesperson Matthew Miller stressed that the seriousness of the allegations and reassured the strong US-India relationship, saying, "India continues to be an incredibly strong partner of the United States. We've worked with them on a number of matters including our shared vision for a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific."

Regarding potential trade impacts or sanctions, George advised caution, noting the importance of the Indian diaspora in Canada and the financial benefits Canada receives from international students from India. "I think both parties are going to maintain a wait-and-watch approach...it would be foolish on the side of either party to try and do something that they would eventually regret," he said.

The diplomatic relationship strained further after Trudeau’s allegations in Parliament about India's involvement in Nijjar’s death, which India has denied, calling them "absurd" and "motivated." Nijjar, labelled a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey last year.