‘You seem to be alone’: Canada PM Justin Trudeau faces cold reality as he takes on India | India News

NEW DELHI: “So far in time, you seem to be alone”. This unsettling observation made by a journalist while questioning Justin Trudeau encapsulated the isolation that the Canadian PM has been facing ever since he levelled allegations that India was involved in the murder of a Khalistani terrorist on his country’s soil.
Since his accusations last week, Trudeau has found himself in the global media glare over the ensuing diplomatic spat between the two countries.
BBC reported that the Canadian PM appears to be left largely on his own as he goes toe-to-toe with India, at least in the public eye.
According to a BBC report, in the days since Trudeau made the explosive announcement, his allies in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance provided “seemingly boilerplate public statements, all stopping far short of full-throated support.”
The Five Eyes alliance refers to an international intelligence-sharing partnership between US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
While reports suggest that US intelligence did play a key role in Trudeau’s allegations against India, Washington has avoided openly challenging India over the issue.
Experts have said that besides expressing “deep concern” over the killing, Washington is likely to not pick sides as it does not want to strain its ties with New Delhi.
Other “allies” took a similar line as Washington.
Reacting to Trudeau’s charges, UK foreign secretary James Cleverly said his country took “very seriously the things that Canada are saying”. In nearly identical language, Australia said it was “deeply concerned” by the accusations.
But the countries, like Canada’s southern neighbour US, remained more or less tepid in their public reaction.
Notably, BBC reported that when President Joe Biden publicly spoke about India this week at the UN, it was not to condemn, but to praise the country for helping to establish a new economic pathway.
“The problem for Canada is that its interests currently pale in comparison to India’s massive strategic importance,” experts told BBC.

Xavier Delgado, a researcher at the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute, told BBC that countries like US, UK and other Western allies have built a strategy that largely focuses on India, to be a bulwark and counterweight to China.
“That’s something they can’t afford to toss out the window,” he said.
India has been courted by US and its allies for several months due to its rising global stature and the ability to act as a strong counterforce to an expansionist China, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
India is also part of the Quad group with US, Australia and Japan – a security alliance that is seen as a counter to China and has repeatedly advocated a “free and open Indo-Pacific”.
Delgado added that the fact that Canada’s Western allies didn’t rush to its defence is indicative of the “geopolitical reality”.
According to the report, the tepid response is also indicative of Canada’s shortcomings on the world stage.
While Ottawa is viewed as a “dependable Western ally”, it is not a “global power” in its own right.
“Right now we’re seeing a hard power moment. That is not the environment where Canada shines,” Christopher Sands, director of the Canada Institute, told BBC.
He added that the decisive stuff is all “force, power and money”, which Canada doesn’t have.
This cold reality is now the reason why Trudeau is feeling increasingly isolated, despite his stated “evidence” against India.
Meanwhile, India too doubled down after Trudeau allegations, retaliating with diplomatic expulsions and travel advisories and a suspension of all visa services for Canadians.
To add insult to injury, Trudeau has also been facing criticism at home due to domestic issues.
In September, his approval ratings had dropped to a three-year low, with 63% of Canadians disapproving of their prime minister.