Canadian authorities declared India’s High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma a persona non grata note on Monday, expelling him and five other diplomats from their posts over allegations they were part of a criminal network harassing Canadian Sikhs. New Delhi retaliated by expelling six Canadian diplomats, including Ottawa’s second-in-command in the subcontinent, Stewart Wheeler.
The dispute dramatically burst onto the scene following the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year, which led to the arrest and indictment of three Indian nationals. Canada has found itself somewhat isolated from its friends amid the dispute, as the US and European Union attempt to cultivate friendship with India as a counterbalance to Russia and China.
Eurasia Group Senior Analyst Graeme Thompson says the Canadian Royal Mounted Police likely feel confident in the evidence they have collected against India’s diplomats to comment publicly on such a sensitive issue.
“The big question is whether the dispute will be contained to diplomatic tit-for-tat exclusions, or if visa restrictions or other measures affecting business and other people-to-people ties could follow,” he says. “It will also be very interesting to see what, if any, comment US officials make publicly about these developments, which could indicate how the US is handling the dispute behind the scenes.”
Who are the Sikhs, and why is India allegedly going after them? The Sikh religion emerged from the teachings of Guru Nanak in the late 15th century, and its corps of mighty Khalsa warriors carved out an independent empire in what is now northern India and Pakistan between 1799 and 1849. Some Sikhs today still agitate for an independent state of Khalistan, which New Delhi considers a threat to its sovereignty. Canada, home to the largest Sikh community outside India, has found itself in the crossfire.In this episode of Tools and Weapons, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with Ed Policy, President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers, to discuss how purpose-driven leadership and innovation are shaping the future of one of the world’s most iconic sports franchises. Ed shares how technology and community-focused initiatives, from Titletown Tech to health and safety innovations on the field, are transforming not just the game of football, but the economy and culture of Green Bay itself. He explains how combining strategic vision with investment in local startups is keeping talent in the Midwest and creating opportunities that extend far beyond Lambeau Field.
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Egyptians are voting this month in parliamentary elections that aren’t expected to change who’s in charge, but could allow President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to rule beyond 2030.
Thailand and Cambodia’s ceasefire is on the verge of collapse. Strikes were launched across their disputed border today, following clashes over the weekend that resulted in the death of a Thai soldier.