The diplomatic standoff between the two countries over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil does not appear to have any immediate impact on bilateral trade relations between India and Canada, according to officials of both governments.
Relations deteriorated further this week after Canada linked India’s High Commissioner and other Indian diplomats to the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and accused the Indian government of a major effort to target Indian dissidents in Canada. Planted.
India has denied the allegations and described it as part of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “political agenda”.
According to India’s commerce ministry, bilateral trade between India and Canada stood at $8.4 billion at the end of the last fiscal year on March 31, a marginal increase from the previous year.
“We are not immediately concerned about trade relations. Our bilateral trade with Canada is not very large,” an Indian source told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Canada mainly exports minerals, pulses, potash, industrial chemicals and precious stones to India, and imports goods such as pharmaceuticals, marine products, electrical and electronic equipment, pearls and precious stones.
“I want to reassure our business community that our government is fully committed to supporting the well-established trade relationship between Canada and India,” Canada’s Trade Minister Mary Ng said in a statement.
“We will work closely with all Canadian companies engaged with India to ensure that these important economic relationships remain strong.”
