What has caused the recent escalation?
Last year, Canada said that agents from India might be connected to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He was a leader who wanted a new country called Khalistan and was also a Canadian citizen.
But wait! India says this isn’t true and that Canada hasn’t shown any proof. Because of this disagreement, the friendship between Canada and India is getting shaky.
Who is Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a separatist leader of a group that wants to create a new Sikh nation called Khalistan. They want to combine the Indian state of Punjab and other Punjabi-speaking areas into this new country.
In India, promoting ideas that could break up the country is illegal, as per the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (which recently replaced the Indian Penal Code).
How are both countries handling the situation?
Every country has special people called diplomats who live in other countries. They help with things like giving visas and helping their citizens with problems. They work in places called embassies.
Recently, Canada and India told each other’s top diplomats to leave. This is a big deal because they used to be good friends. It shows how quickly friendships between countries can change.
What’s the update on the situation?
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently said there's no solid proof linking India to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He based his claims on guesses, not hard facts.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said this shows Canada has no evidence. They also said PM Trudeau hurt the friendship between the two countries.
