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A furious diplomatic row between India and Canada has pushed an otherwise fringe separatist campaign for an independent Sikh homeland in Punjab into the international spotlight. The ‘Khalistan’ campaign dates back to India’s 1947 independence, and has been blamed for the assassination of a prime minister and the bombing of a passenger jet.

It has been a bitter issue between India and several Western nations with large Sikh populations. New Delhi demands stricter action against the Khalistan movement, which is banned in India, with key leaders accused of ‘terrorism’. Canada has alleged that India arranged the 2023 killing in Vancouver of a Khalistan campaigner, 45-year-old naturalized Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Four Indian nationals have been arrested in connection with the murder. 

New Delhi, which wanted Nijjar for alleged terrorism offenses, calls the allegations ‘absurd’. In a separate case, in which New Delhi is cooperating, the United States has accused India of directing a 2023 failed assassination plot in New York. The alleged target was another Khalistan campaigner, dual US-Canadian citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The US State Department on Wednesday said India had told it that an intelligence operative accused of directing the plot was no longer in government service.

During the session titled ‘Rethinking Development and Diplomacy in the Digital Age’ at the Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival, former Indian ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Rae, emphasized the importance of credibility in diplomacy. He noted that people play a central role in influencing government decisions, pointing to recent events in Bangladesh and the 2006 people’s movement in Nepal. “People are at the center of everything. Public diplomacy has played a huge role in India-Nepal relations, not always positively. It can work both ways,” Rae remarked.

Reflecting on his tenure as ambassador during a challenging period, Rae recalled, “I was in Nepal during the constitution-writing process and the protests in Tarai.” He also mentioned his book, ‘Kathmandu Dilemma: Resetting India-Nepal Ties’, which he wrote to address misconceptions about India’s role in Nepal.

In another session titled ‘Writing as Aspiration’, Rae stressed the importance of self-research on regional history and heritage. “What is written about us in the West need not align with our own narratives. It is up to us to research and write about our history,” he said.

Several countries have urged their nationals to leave Lebanon, with the US warning its citizens to do so on “any ticket available”, as fears grow of a wider conflict in the Middle East. Iran has vowed “severe” retaliation against Israel, which it blames for the death of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday. Israel has not commented.

Haniyeh’s assassination came hours after Israel killed Hezbollah senior commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Western officials fear that Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia and political movement based in Lebanon, could play a key role in any such retaliation, which in turn could spark a serious Israeli response. Reacting to such concerns, the US, the UK, Sweden, France, Italy, Canada and Jordan urged their citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible, as a growing number of flights are canceled or suspended at the country’s only commercial airport in Beirut.

Nepal does not have an actual number regarding the Nepali citizens in Lebanon. However, organizations working for the welfare of Nepalis there estimate that there could be more than 5,000 Nepalis there. According to the Nepali Army, there are 1,900 Nepali peacekeepers in Lebanon. 

As of Sunday, Nepal has not taken any measure to bring back the Nepalis, who are in Lebanon and want to return due to the growing insecurity, although Nepali Embassy in Egypt has urged the Nepali citizens living in Lebanon to exercise caution.

Issuing a press note, the embassy that also looks after Lebanon said, “Nepalis living in Lebanon are urged to exercise caution in view of the possible escalation of war.” 

The embassy has also asked the Nepali citizens to contact the Honorary Consulate General of Nepal in Beirut to drop their necessary details via the embassy’s website.

It’s fantastic to have you all here—because we have so much to celebrate together. In December we marked the centenary of the UK-Nepal Treaty of Friendship signed in the Singha Durbar in 1923 pledging that our two nations will forever maintain peace, friendship and mutual respect. It helped establish Nepal’s sovereignty. 

The Treaty confirmed the UK’s proud status as Nepal’s oldest friend. There have been many events to mark the centenary over recent months. That’s a lot of daal bhaat, a lot of chiya, and maybe a bit of Raksi too! I’m delighted that we are hosting the culmination of these celebrations here this evening.

There is so much that brings us together. From His Majesty King Charles trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas as a young Prince, to our academic alliances, to the huge contribution that the Nepali diaspora makes here in the UK, even getting to the finals of Masterchef!

We’re partners in fighting climate change, in supporting Nepal’s development, with the £400m of support which helps Nepal capitalize on its strengths, including its people and its potential for clean energy and to overcome challenges posed by disasters, and through our growing business links as well.

At the Nepal Investment Summit last month, I was proud that the UK played a leading role in creating a more conductive enabling environment for foreign investment into Nepal which extended the bridge we are building between Nepal and global capital markets. 

And of course, I want to pay tribute to surely the greatest symbol of our friendship, proof that this bond is truly unique and that is the Gurkhas. I had the pleasure of addressing a Gurkha passing out parade at Catterick in my constituency, back in 2021, paying tribute to their courage, loyalty, and sacrifice. Their service is a reminder of the deep ties between our two nations and a promise that those ties will continue to endure.

We have come a long way together since 1923. So, let’s keep building all aspects of this remarkable friendship. And here’s to another one hundred years!

Speech delivered by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a reception hosted at Number 10 Downing Street on 20 May to celebrate 100 years of the UK-Nepal Treaty of Friendship