The conversation revolves around the current tension between India and Canada. The host is asking Abhijit Mitra, a renowned observer and commentator in international affairs, to provide his insights on the situation.
Mitra believes that the relations between India and Canada are likely to worsen before they improve. He attributes this to the lack of cooperation from the Canadian government, which he claims is not sharing any intelligence with India. He also points out the ideological bias in Canada's bureaucracy, which he argues is hindering diplomatic efforts.
Mitra emphasizes that there is no back channel communication between the two countries, which has led to a breakdown in diplomatic relations. He suggests that this situation is a result of Canada's institutional left-leaning bias, which is creating an ideological bias and condescension in non-ministerial and non-political meetings.
In response to the question about whether India gains or loses from this situation, Mitra argues that there are no downsides to India's resolute stance. He believes that this situation has raised the specter of what organized crime and terrorism can do in Canada and has encouraged the consolidation of control over communities by organized crime networks.
Mitra also mentions that the murder of Sukhdul Singh, which happened a few days after the escalation of tensions, has gone unnoticed. He believes that this is because it is a clear Gangland killing and that it should be highlighted to make the OCI and Visa denial programs more robust.
Mitra suggests that India's resolute posture has taken the West by surprise and will not affect India's relations with countries like the United States and the UK. He argues that the U.S and UK do not want to touch this issue with a barge pole and that their talks for a trade deal are ongoing.
In conclusion, Mitra believes that the realization of a changed India without sentimentalism has been one of the biggest learnings from the last eight days and that this issue is likely to be discussed a lot more in the future.
1. The text discusses the escalating tension between India and Canada.
2. The back-channel diplomatic efforts between the two countries to cool down the situation are not working.
3. There is a debate on whether India is gaining or losing from this situation.
4. India's aggressive posture in response to the situation has surprised the West.
5. The situation could affect India's relations with other countries, including the United States, the UK, Australia, and other close diplomatic partners.