Information reveals, there are roughly 600,000 Indian students in Canada right now, which comprises the international student population of the country. The largest number of Indians either working or studying in Canada belongs to Punjab. The parents as well as family members of those staying in Canada are worried over the relations between India and Canada are worsening amidst the row regarding India’s alleged involvement in the murder of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a gang war, although India has strongly refused Canada’s allegations, accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of engaging in Vote Bank politics and the situation now turning such, both countries have expelled six diplomats each with immediate effect.
The effects of this diplomatic flare up has been felt by Indian students currently studying in Canada, or aspire to do so in the future as well as those working there or their family members, since over a million Indian students have received study permits for Canada since 2015, which include more than 100,000 having done so in the current year alone. Information also reveals that according to data from the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), a total of approximately 1.3 million Indian students received study permits from 2015 to 2024. The data reveals, in 2015 there were some 31,920 Indian students holding study permits in Canada, out of a total of 219,035 international students, accounting for just 14.5% of the total international student population in the country. However, by 2023, the number of Indian students receiving study permits increased to 278,250, out of 682,060 international students, representing 40.7% of the total international student population.
According to information, till August this year, 137,445 Indian students have received study permits out of 374,060 international students accounting 36.7% thus witnessing nearly 4% drop as compared to previous 2023 year because of Canadian government has implemented new changes to international study permit processes for international students, despite of such changes there are nearly 600,000 Indian students in Canada at present. The increasing differences between governments of India and Canada are worsening day by day will lead to decline not only in political relationship but also business relationship between both countries. According to a leading research observer Harsh V. Pant has rightly said that Justine trudeo Canada Prime Minister in order to attract Vote Bank and trying to please gangsters from India operating their network in Canada, now following steps taken by Pakistan steps making baseless statements against Indian government blaming Indian High Commision officers in Canada involved in the murder conspiracy of gangsters Hardeep Singh Nijjar died in a gang war.
There are large number of gangsters and criminals from India most wanted by the police including Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldi Brar, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu who managed to flee abroad on the basis of fake passports now operating their criminal network in Canada and spreading terrorism in India being supportrd by Canada Prime Minister Trudeau in order to attract Sikhs Vote Bank in Canada and it is presumed that there is no hope of improvement in relations with India as long as Trudeau is in power in Canada.The weapon that Trudeau has used to brighten his politics will prove suicidal for him and Canada in the long run. India-Canada relations have now reached a new high with New Delhi recalling its High Commissioner from Canada and ordering six diplomats from the Canadian Mission in India to leave the country immediately adopting a similar attitude towards Indian diplomats suspected due to domestic political pressure by New Democratic Party comprising of ‘Khalistanis’ settled in Canada operating criminal networks thus ignoring the traditional strong cordial relations between the people of both the countries and the ever-growing trade, taking decisions driven only by vested political interests and take the support of pro-Khalistan Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party (NDP).
Canada’s latest allegations against India are that Lawrence Bishnoi gang is targeting Khalistan supporters in their country at the instigation of the Indian government having no concrete evidence in support of this allegation. The Indian High Commission had warned the Canadian government in 2022 that the criminal activities of those who carried out violent incidents in Punjab were being conducted from Canada, but they did not pay any attention to these complaints. On the contrary, rather he made baseless allegations against India. The recent Trudeau government’s move to clamp down on Indian diplomats in the Nijjar murder case was bound to increase tensions in bilateral relations between both countries and it is quite likely that India’s relations with Canada will not improve as long as Trudeau is in power, targeting India to cover up the failures of his government and divert the attention of the public. Along with Khalistani supporters, Jihadi elements have also been given a free hand under his rule, due to which Christians, Hindus, Jews and other minority communities are being targeted.
