India summoned the Canadian envoy and issued a demarche over the increasing activities by pro-Khalistani elements in Canada, people familiar with the matter were quoted as saying by PTI on Tuesday.
The summoning of the Canadian high commissioner came following pro-Khalistani groups releasing some posters with names of certain Indian diplomats. It is learnt that India has also asked the Canadian authorities to take appropriate measures in view of planned protests by pro-Khalistan groups outside Indian missions in Canada on July 8.
Canadian High Commissioner Summoned, US Actions
The Canadian high commissioner was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday and was issued a demarche, the people cited above said while referring to the release of the posters and the planned protests.
The people said India has also raised with the US the attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco by Khalistan supporters who tried to set the diplomatic facility on fire.
A video by Khalistan supporters, dated July 2 posted on Twitter, showed the act of arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. The people cited above said the American authorities have been prompt in condemning the attack and taking measures to stop similar incidents.
It was the second time within months that the Indian Consulate in San Francisco came under attack from Khalistani supporters. On March 19, a group of pro-Khalistan protesters attacked and damaged the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.
The people cited above said India has also taken up with the Australian government the issue of activities of pro-Khalistani groups in Australia and the planned protests outside Indian missions. A spokesperson at the Australian High Commission in Delhi said Canberra “takes seriously our obligations under the Vienna Conventions to ensure the security of diplomatic and consular missions and their staff in Australia."
“Any threat to accredited officials residing in Australia will be investigated, and if necessary actions taken. Australia is a tolerant, multicultural nation and does not tolerate hate speech, violence or threats of violence," the official said.
What is a Demarche?
The term “demarche" is frequently used in diplomatic contexts and has its origins in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), where it is defined as “walking, stepping, and proceeding." According to Professor VR Narayanaswami cited by Hindustan Times, it began being used to describe diplomatic initiatives or political actions around 1678.
In diplomatic parlance, a demarche refers to the official communication of a government’s position, views, or wishes on a specific subject to the appropriate officials of another government. The purpose of a demarche, as stated by the US Department of State, is generally to persuade, inform, or gather information from a foreign government. It can also be used by governments to protest or object to the conduct of other nations.
According to a report by Livemint, legal expert Duhaime’s definition of demarche aligns with the common understanding of the term. Duhaime describes it as a word coined by the diplomatic community, referring to a strongly worded warning issued by one country to another, often with the implicit or explicit threat of military consequences.
Apart from demarches, there are other formal forms of diplomatic communication, such as “notes verbale" and “demi official." These forms have a less formal tone and are primarily used for transmitting information or making requests in diplomatic channels.
According to Livemint, there is a common perception that equates a demarche with an ultimatum. An ultimatum is seen as a final warning that can potentially lead to severe actions such as the severing of diplomatic ties or even military intervention.
An ultimatum reflects a government’s dissatisfaction with the state of its relations with another government. In contemporary diplomacy, a demarche can be seen as an initial step or an early stage in the process that may eventually lead to the delivery of an ultimatum. It signifies a government’s discontent and serves as a formal expression of its concerns or grievances regarding specific developments in its relationship with another country.
As per a report by Firstpost, the Indian government has a history of issuing demarches to Canada on various occasions. In December 2020, a demarche was sent to the Canadian High Commissioner to India in response to remarks made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the farmers’ protest in India.
Another demarche was served to the Canadian federal government in October 2022. This time, the Indian government requested that Canada take action to stop a purported Khalistan referendum organized by a banned organization operating in Canada.
Who are Khalistanis?
The Khalistan movement is a Sikh separatist movement that seeks to establish a sovereign state in the Punjab region called Khalistan (‘Land of the Khalsa’), according to reports.
The proposed state would be made up of land that currently forms Punjab, India and Punjab, Pakistan, with Lahore as its capital, and would be located in the past geographical region of Punjab, where the Khalsa Empire was once established.
Since the separatist movement gained traction in the 1980s, Khalistan’s territorial ambitions have included Chandigarh, sections of Indian Punjab, including the entirety of North India, and some parts of western India. Read more here
PTI contributed to this report
