Foreign Secy to brief parliamentary panel on India’s ties with Canada, China

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is likely to tomorrow brief the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs on the issues concerning India’s ties with Canada as also bilateral relations with China.

A meeting of the committee, which is headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, is slated to take place at 11 am on Wednesday.

The agenda for the meeting states that representatives of the Ministry of External Affairs will give oral evidence on Demands for Grants of the Ministry for the year 2024-25 and there will be briefing by Foreign Secretary “on issues in India’s foreign relations – India-Canada and India-China”.

Ties with Canberra have seen sharp deterioration with India repeatedly expressing its deep concern about extremism and the culture of violence and anti-India activities in Canada and has asked Canadian authorities to take action against these activities.

An Indian consular camp at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Canada’s Brampton witnessed a “violent disruption” on Sunday in Brampton, near Toronto. The incident sparked widespread criticism in and outside Canada.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned the “deliberate attack” on Hindu temple in Canada and said that “cowardly attempts to intimidate” Indian diplomats were appalling and New Delhi expects Canadian authorities to ensure justice and uphold rule of law.

“I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law,” PM Modi said on X.

The strong statement by PM Modi came hours after the Ministry of External Affairs condemned the acts of violence perpetrated by extremists and separatists at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario on Sunday.

“We call on the Government of Canada to ensure that all places of worship are protected from such attacks. We also expect that those indulging in violence will be prosecuted. We remain deeply concerned about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to media queries regarding violence in Brampton.”

The outreach of our Consular officers to provide services to Indians and Canadian citizens alike will not be deterred by intimidation, harassment and violence,” he added.

The ties between India and Canada took sharp downturn following Canadian leaders making allegations without providing evidence about an assassination on their soil.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is in Australia, on Tuesday expressed concerns about the attack on the Hindu temple in Canada, and said the incident shows how “political space” is being given to the “extremist forces” in the country.

“What happened yesterday at the Hindu temple in Canada was deeply concerning.”You should have seen the statement by our official spokesperson and also the expression of concern by our PM yesterday. That should convey to you how deeply we feel about it,” Jaishankar said at a joint press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

Answering another query, he talked about the political space given to “extremist forces” in Canada.

“Let me make three comments. One, Canada has developed a pattern of making allegations without providing specifics. Secondly, when we look at Canada, for us the fact that they are putting our diplomats under surveillance is something which is unacceptable. Third, the incidents (attack on the Hindu Temple) and do look at the videos. I think they will tell you in a way in political space today which has been given to extremist forces there,” Jaishankar said.

The sharp downturn in ties saw India recalling its High Commissioner from Canada.

India also summoned the representative of the Canadian High Commission earlier this month and handed a diplomatic note in which the government protested in the strongest terms to the “absurd and baseless” references made to Union Home Minister Amit Shah before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in Ottawa by Deputy Minister David Morrison.

“In fact, the revelation that high Canadian officials deliberately leak unfounded insinuations to the international media as part of a conscious strategy to discredit India and influence other nations only confirms the view Government of India has long held about current Canadian government’s political agenda and behavioral pattern. Such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties,” Jaiswal said.

The “not normal” ties with China saw a thaw last month as the two countries reached agreement on patrolling arrangements across LAC in Ladakh. The agreement was reached two two days before the BRICS Summit in Russia. PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of BRICS Summit.

Jaishankar said on Tuesday that the “disengagement chapter” between India and China over the troop deployment issue near the Depsang and Demchok areas in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control was done and de-escalation part remained to be addressed by the two nations.

Misri had given a short briefing on the current situation between India and China at the meeting of the parliamentary panel last month.