Khalistani group threatens siege on Indian consulate in Vancouver
Vancouver: As India and Canada continue efforts to restore diplomatic relations, a pro-Khalistan group has issued a fresh threat against Indian diplomatic establishments in Canada.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a US-based organisation advocating for Khalistan, announced that it will “lay siege” to the Indian Consulate in Vancouver on Thursday. The group has urged Indo-Canadians with scheduled visits to reschedule their appointments.
SFJ released a poster depicting India’s newly appointed High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, with a target symbol over his face. The organisation accused Indian consulates of running spy networks and carrying out surveillance against Khalistan supporters.
In its statement, the group invoked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s remarks in Parliament on September 18, 2023, when he said Indian agents’ involvement was being investigated in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. “Two years on, Indian Consulates continue to run a spy network and surveillance targeting Khalistan Referendum campaigners,” SFJ claimed.
The organisation also alleged that threats to its members were so severe that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had placed Inderjeet Singh Gosal, who took over the Khalistan Referendum campaign after Nijjar’s killing, under witness protection.
SFJ said its planned siege would seek “accountability” for alleged espionage and intimidation carried out by Indian officials on Canadian soil.
Neither India’s Ministry of External Affairs nor the Indian Consulate in Vancouver has responded to the threat.
The issue of Khalistani extremism in Canada has seen renewed focus. A Canadian government report released earlier this month confirmed that extremist Khalistani groups, including Babbar Khalsa International and the International SYF, both proscribed as terrorist organisations under Canada’s Criminal Code, were receiving financial backing from individuals and networks within the country. The report noted that such groups primarily function through smaller, loosely connected networks of supporters rather than large formal organisations.
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
