PM Modi nudges Justin Trudeau on radicals

New Delhi: In a clear warning to pro-Khalistan, anti-India separatists operating from Canada, Prime Minister Narendra Modi — after holding talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday — said “no tolerance would be shown” to those challenging India’s “unity and integrity”. This is also being seen as a veiled message to the Trudeau government which is perceived by many to be soft on pro-Khalistan Sikh radicals.

With Mr Trudeau by his side, Mr Modi said that there should be no place for those who use sectarianism for political purposes and create divisions in society.

“Those challenging the unity and integrity of our two countries cannot be tolerated. There should be no space for those who misuse sectarianism for political purposes and widen the gulf of divisions. Terrorism is a threat to democratic societies like India and Canada,” Mr Modi said in his speech in the presence of the Canadian Prime Minister whom he described as “my friend Trudeau”. The Canadian Prime Minister described India as Canada’s “natural partner and trusted friend”.  

The two countries also unveiled a “framework” for “countering terrorism and violent extremism” which mentioned threats from Khalistani terror groups — Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation — apart from the Pakistan-based terror outfits, LeT and JeM.

The Khalistan issue has overshadowed Mr Trudeau’s week-long visit to India that ended on Friday with the signing of six pacts on atomic energy, information technology, sports, intellectual property rights, energy dialogue and higher education.

After the talks, the two Prime Ministers “resolved to combat terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms and manifestations”.

In a veiled message to Pakistan, the two leaders also called for “bringing terrorists to justice and holding accountable state sponsors of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism” and “further emphasised that no country should allow its territory to be used for terrorist and violent extremist activities”.

Both the countries agreed to step up trade ties apart from endorsing “the continuation of uranium exports from Canada for peaceful use of civil nuclear power”. On the economic front, the two countries agreed to “intensify negotiations to finalise a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and a Bilateral Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement”.

The activities of the pro-Khalistan radical Sikh elements operating from Canadian soil is understood to have figured prominently during talks between the two Prime Ministers. India expects that the Trudeau government will now take firm action against radical Sikh elements in Canada, in line with the commitments in the joint statement and counter-terror framework.

The “Framework for Cooperation between India and Canada on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism” mentioned that the two countries have “committed to work together to neutralise the threats emanating from terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, ISIS, the Haqqani Network, LeT, JeM, Babbar Khalsa International, and the International Sikh Youth Federation.”

The joint statement said, “Recognising that terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation to violence present acute challenges to global peace, stability and prosperity, the leaders resolved to combat terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms and manifestations.”

On economic ties, it said, “To realise the full potential of bilateral trade and investment, both the sides will renew efforts to expand and diversify bilateral economic and commercial relations.”