Despite strained or failing diplomatic ties with neighbouring countries, the BJP-led central government frequently boasts of its close relations with Western countries, including the United States. The Modi government is given to making every possible effort to emphasize the depth and breadth of these ties by hosting Western capitalist leaders, accepting their hospitality, and engaging in defence and trade deals worth billions of dollars. The central government is also presenting many things that were considered routine by previous administrations as innovative programs that raise India's stature on the international stage. Additionally, the government is conducting intense propaganda campaigns, claiming that the world is watching India, it is the next superpower, and the nation has become a global guru. However, the setbacks on the international stage suggest that even the friendship with Western capitalist countries dp not extend beyond one-sided arrangements.
In June 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader on India's terrorist list. Trudeau's revelation, asserting that Indian diplomats were implicated in Nijjar's murder, sent shockwaves through the country. India subsequently severed ties with Canada, despite their strong bilateral trade, commerce, and immigration connections. India unilaterally resumed efforts to strengthen ties with Canada, which had been severed in September. Meanwhile, the United States has pointed fingers at India's diplomatic mission in an assassination attempt on another Sikh leader. The serious allegation contends that Indian intelligence/security officer Nikhil Gupta hired Indian national Nikhil Gupta to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of the Sikh separatist organization "Sikhs for Justice" based in New York. In contrast to the Canadian Prime Minister, who merely made the allegation, the United States Justice Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reportedly provided evidence to the American government, implicating the Indian officer.
Last June Gupta, who was designated as international drug smuggler, was arrested in the Czech Republic at the request of the United States. The United States deems the report, endorsed by its three most powerful agencies, as credible. There is already a discussion about whether the Canadian president's earlier statement regarding credible evidence was made in the light of this. India is currently facing a challenging situation where it is bearing the consequences of its international relations due to the Khalistan separatist movement. This movement has caused significant disruptions in the country and continues to pose a threat. Western countries not only allow Khalistan terrorists to engage in anti-India activities unchecked but also place blame on India for the challenges faced by the separatists.
Countries such as Canada, the United States, and Britain are reluctant to take India's concerns seriously, citing repeated negative experiences with Khalistan terrorism. The Modi government is struggling to build diplomatic pressure to counteract the separatist efforts aimed at destabilizing India. India resumed on November 22 its electronic visa service, which had been suspended about two months ago, even as Canada persisted in its allegations. Interestingly, Canada, Britain, and Australia, considered close friends of India, have come forward to support the United States' revelations. India's standing in the world will hinge on how it responds to Western countries that provide opportunities on their own soil for activities aiming to harm the nation and cast suspicions on India through mysterious murders. India needs to employ careful diplomatic moves rather than engaging in party festivals with its followers to shine bright in foreign countries. The Modi government is currently facing the test of whether it can navigate these challenges effectively.