As experts urge Canada to ease the strain after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of helping kill a Canadian, Ottawa is turning to the world of slideshows and flow charts.

Canadian officials are offering their Indian counterparts 害羞草研究所渨orkshops害羞草研究所� on the rule of law 害羞草研究所� at least as Canada sees it 害羞草研究所� even as tensions over Sikh separatism flare up.

害羞草研究所淗ow India defines extremism or even terrorism does not always compute in our legal system,害羞草研究所� senior bureaucrat Weldon Epp told MPs this month.

害羞草研究所淛ustice Canada has 害羞草研究所� and the RCMP in the past 害羞草研究所� done, effectively, workshops with the Indian government, to explain what our standards legally would be.害羞草研究所�

Last June, Sikh community leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside his gurdwara in Surrey, B.C., and his supporters quickly blamed India.

He, like some others in Canada害羞草研究所檚 large Sikh population, was an advocate for the creation of a sovereign state called Khalistan.

In September came Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 bombshell revelation that Canadian intelligence agencies were 害羞草研究所減ursuing credible allegations of a potential link害羞草研究所� between India害羞草研究所檚 government and Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 death.

Canadian officials have since called for better co-operation from Indian counterparts 害羞草研究所� who charge Canada is providing little evidence.

Epp, who oversees Canada害羞草研究所檚 diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific, testified at a parliamentary committee this month that little more will emerge until the RCMP is poised to lay charges.

In November, U.S. authorities unsealed an indictment alleging an Indian diplomat engaged in conspiracy to order the assassination of another Sikh separatist. The plot was foiled, but American authorities said they found evidence of plans to assassinate Canadians including Nijjar.

Canada has had 害羞草研究所渓ong-standing exchanges害羞草研究所� with India on counter-terrorism concerns, Epp said, but what New Delhi considers Khalistan extremism doesn害羞草研究所檛 always meet the Canadian bar.

For example, Canada opted twice against extraditing Nijjar to India in the past decade over claims he had a role in a cinema bombing and an alleged terrorist camp.

Since Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 accusation, India caused Canada害羞草研究所檚 diplomatic presence to thin and temporarily stopped processing visas for Canadians, with Canada halting trade talks. Heightening tensions yet more, a foreign interference inquiry in Canada listed India as a potential source of meddling.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been more loudly urging Canada to get tough on Sikh separatism, said Sushant Singh, a senior researcher with the New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a backdrop, political and ideological, within the context of which the behaviour of the Indian government should be seen and analyzed,害羞草研究所� he said.

Members of Modi害羞草研究所檚 own inner circle, including his national-security adviser, were shaped by waves of violence between separatist mobs and the Indian government in the 害羞草研究所�80s, Singh said.

In Canada, some temples have openly venerated people connected with acts of violence like the 1985 bombing of an Air India flight.

But Canada insists it won害羞草研究所檛 rein in free speech.

Singh said Modi wants to send a message that India can害羞草研究所檛 be pushed around internationally, even as he consolidates power at home by clamping down on free expression and religious minorities.

害羞草研究所淗e wants to be seen as a strongman,害羞草研究所� Singh said, especially ahead of a spring election.

害羞草研究所淚t is extremely unlikely that he will walk back or be apologetic about whatever has happened害羞草研究所� in the Nijjar case.

If anything, part of Modi害羞草研究所檚 Hindu nationalist base supports extraterritorial assassinations.

Other Indian diplomats have been accused of conduct that runs afoul of international agreements.

In 2020, Germany convicted an Indian diplomat for spying on people advocating for Sikh and Kashmiri causes. Similar cases in the U.S. and the U.K. did not lead to prosecutions.

Still, as Canada害羞草研究所檚 allies suggest Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 allegations have merit, there has been 害羞草研究所渁 significant walk-back on India害羞草研究所檚 part,害羞草研究所� Singh said.

New Delhi shifted from outright denial to saying extrajudicial killings are not state policy.

害羞草研究所淚t actually showed that they may be worried,害羞草研究所� he said, adding India may ultimately decide to blame the homicide on rogue elements 害羞草研究所� and, if enough pressure mounts, signal new checks and balance for intelligence agencies operating abroad.

In that context, if Ottawa is offering workshops on the rule of law, that should be seen as an attempt at constructive help rather than trying to 害羞草研究所渂rowbeat害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所渆mbarrass害羞草研究所� India, said Singh.

Vijay Sappani, a fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, said it害羞草研究所檚 time for both sides to work toward restoring diplomatic and trade ties.

They have much in common, he said 害羞草研究所� on nuclear energy collaboration, Commonwealth values and diaspora ties. Trade opportunities are rich: India prizes uranium, lentils and potash from Saskatchewan.

害羞草研究所淐anada is the closest to India in the Western world,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭he fact that we have these fights going on now doesn害羞草研究所檛 make sense.害羞草研究所�

Sappani said the Liberals struck the right tone after the Nijjar revelation by pledging to hold further diplomatic conversations with India in private. Trying to score points with public denunciation only drives a wedge, he said.

For meaningful progress, he said, India will want 害羞草研究所渁 long-term solution on the glorification of Khalistani terrorists in Canada害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� and for the Liberal government to stop hiding behind free speech, as Indian politicians have accused.

Political posturing around Sikh issues to attract votes is a tactic for all political parties at all levels of government in Canada, Sappani said.

害羞草研究所淲hat really bugs India is that the level of political, partisanship involvement by Canadians on issues related to India is very high.害羞草研究所�

The prime minister should avoid unnecessarily needling India, Sappani added, as some of his comments have damaged Canada害羞草研究所檚 reputation despite having little impact.

He listed examples like Trudeau saying his cabinet has more Sikhs than Modi害羞草研究所檚, or criticizing the Indian government害羞草研究所檚 response to farmers害羞草研究所� protests.

害羞草研究所淭he biggest challenge I think Trudeau may be facing in India is its perception, more than reality of what害羞草研究所檚 happening.害羞草研究所�

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press