Canada Won’t Resume Trade Talks With India Unless Modi Govt Cooperates in Nijjar Killing Probe: Minister

Trade Minister Mary Ng suggested Wednesday that Canada won’t restart its trade talks with India until Narendra Modi’s government co-operates with the investigation into the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver last June.

In a media scrum at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco, a reporter asked Ng whether there was a path back to resuming trade talks between the two countries.

“Right now, the focus for Canada is to let the work of the investigation proceed,” the minister said. “You’ve heard me and the government talk about how important it is that investigation happens given that we had a Canadian killed on Canadian soil. So we’ll let that happen.”

Canadian minister says focus on investigation 

The minister also said that regardless of the pause in trade talks, the Canadian business community has been operating in India, and added that she would make sure that they have the required support they need, CBC News reported.

Trade Minister Mary Ng suggested Wednesday that Canada won't restart its trade talks with India until Narendra Modi's government co-operates with the investigation into the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver last June. https://t.co/lqQ3SXBkxG

— CBC News (@CBCNews) November 16, 2023

Ng said Canadian businesses continue to do business in India and her job as trade minister is to make sure they have the support and tools they need.

When asked if cooperation in the murder probe is a prerequisite to normalisation of ties between Canada and India, the minister clarified “no”.

“Our focus is of course on this investigation, that work has to take place. And for Canadian businesses, just to reassure them, because they expect that of their government, that the tools are available to them as they continue to do business and to invest and to make investments and attract investment, that the services of the Canadian government continue to be there for them.”

Even before Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came out with explosive allegations about the “Indian government agents” role in the killing of Nijjar, the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA) between India and Canada had been in limbo.

India-Canada trade talks in limbo

In September, days before Trudeau’s allegations, India’s High Commissioner to Canada  Sanjay Kumar Verma told The Canadian Press that trade talks had paused by Canada. He, however, did not give a complete explanation at that time.

A Team Canada Trade Mission to India, scheduled for October and led by Ng, was also called off.

India-Canada trade stood at $8.16 billion in 2022-23, which is much less in comparison to $128.7 billion in India’s trade with the US.

India primarily imports potash needs from Canada, which is the world’s biggest exporter.

Canada imports pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, textiles, machinery, pulses, timber, pulp and paper, and mining products.

-By Agency Input

The post Canada Won’t Resume Trade Talks With India Unless Modi Govt Cooperates in Nijjar Killing Probe: Minister appeared first on WNN.