LONDON/CHANDIGARH — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing a crucial diplomatic test as he embarks on his first official visit to India today, with the Sikh Federation (UK) issuing a stark warning that his international credibility is on the line. Having championed a rules-based international order since his dramatic rise to power less than a year ago, Carney is now under mounting pressure from the advocacy group to confront Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over growing concerns of transnational repression.
According to the written statement released by the organization today, a copy of which is available with Sikh Siyasat News (SSN), Carney’s strong defense of Canadian sovereignty—which initially bolstered his popularity at home—is now facing its ultimate trial on the global stage.
Dabinderjit Singh OBE, a Lead Executive at the Sikh Federation (UK), emphasized the high stakes of the bilateral meeting.
“Mark Carney’s credibility is at stake today in India,” Singh stated. “The question is will he defend the rule of law and the sovereignty of Canada or admit he has become the latest victim of India’s threats and economic coercion.”
Escalating Threats on Canadian Soil
The diplomatic conundrum for the Canadian Prime Minister is rooted in ongoing allegations of foreign interference and violent crime. According to the release, the Indian government remains “in total denial about its role in transnational repression,” which includes the high-profile assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The Sikh Federation (UK) pointed to fresh, escalating dangers to Canadian citizens. Just this week, Canadian police issued a warning to Moninder Singh, head of Sikh Federation Canada, the Sikh Federation UK’s sister body in Canada, regarding a “credible threat” to his life.
“What is different about the police warning this time is he has been told his wife and children were also deemed to be at risk,” Dabinderjit Singh noted in the statement. He further highlighted that Carney is well aware of a “dramatic surge in extortion attributed to transnational criminal syndicates based in India that are widely used and promoted by the Indian government and Indian intelligence agents.”
A Test of ‘Rules-Based’ Leadership
Prime Minister Carney recently used the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as a platform to call on nations to reject “economic coercion by great powers.” However, critics warn that failing to address India’s alleged actions directly with PM Modi would severely undermine that stance.
The statement draws a stark contrast between Carney’s Davos rhetoric and past comments made by the Indian Prime Minister.
“As Mark Carney prepares to meet Narendra Modi we want to remind him that in April 2024 Modi chillingly said in an election speech that was widely reported: ‘We don’t send dossiers; we kill them in their homes,’” Dabinderjit Singh added.
The Sikh Federation (UK) concluded its statement with a firm warning: “Mark Carney will therefore be accused of total hypocrisy if he fails to ignore the ground reality in Canada and does not strongly object to the transnational repression by the Indian government and its promotion of violent crime on Canadian soil.”
As the two leaders meet, international observers and diaspora communities alike will be watching closely to see if Canada’s sovereignty and the rule of law remain non-negotiable pillars of Carney’s foreign policy.
