At a time when Canada's decision to expel the Indian ambassador and five other accredited Indian diplomats is dominating the front pages of Indian newspapers, International Trade Minister Mary Ng is trying to reassure Canadian companies with ties to India.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (federal police) warned citizens yesterday of a series of crimes, including murder, extortion, and coercion, that this agency links to agents of the Indian government.

These allegations and the Canadian decision have sparked a diplomatic retaliation. After Canada announced that six Indian diplomats are undesirable persons, India ordered six accredited Canadian diplomats to leave the country by Saturday.

Minister Ng issued a statement acknowledging the "uncertainty" felt by Canadian companies and investors as a result, stating that the government would continue to support trade and economic relations with India.

“However, we must consider our economic interests alongside the need to protect Canadians and uphold the rule of law,” Ng said. “We will not tolerate any foreign government threatening, extorting, or harming Canadian citizens on our soil.”

Ng mentioned that the government remains "open to dialogue" with India and looks forward to continuing a "valuable relationship" with it.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other Canadian officials presented evidence to India earlier last weekend, but New Delhi refused to cooperate in the police investigations, they said.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly stated that this is why Canada declared the six Indian diplomats as undesirable persons. This is one of the harshest sanctions Canada can impose under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

For its part, India insists that it has not received evidence of any governmental involvement in crimes that occurred in Canada.

The Vice President for Research and Strategies at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Vina Najibullah, said she is monitoring how Canada's counterparts will respond to this "unprecedented and exceptional" news.

This could mean diplomatic moves behind the scenes, and possibly public statements in support of Canada, according to her.

“The reaction from the United States will be what everyone pays attention to,” Najibullah added.

“For Canada, at this point, to gain any kind of cooperation from India, and to seek accountability for what happened, we need India to feel some pressure, some reasons to cooperate,” she noted.

Najibullah pointed out that it is notable that Minister Joly accused active diplomats of involvement in criminal acts and stated that violence linked to the Indian government has increased since Canada raised its concerns last year.

It is worth mentioning that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused the Indian authorities on September 18, 2023, of being involved in the assassination of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the Vancouver area of Western Canada, stating that there are "credible allegations" of Indian authorities' involvement in this crime.

Najibullah said that Ottawa has now made its case "very clearly and firmly" by sending senior officials last weekend to present evidence to their Indian counterparts.

“Canada has done what it deemed necessary,” Najibullah continued, “We are in uncharted territory, with consequences for diplomatic relations as well as for public safety and national security in Canada.”

The Vice President for Research and Strategies at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada indicated that it is rare for a diplomat to be expelled due to criminal allegations. “We are not dealing here with a rogue state; we are dealing here with a highly significant international player,” Najibullah said.