Hope Diplomacy Will Help Solve India-Canada Crisis: German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann to CNN-News18 | Exclusive

Amid the India-Canada crisis, Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador to India and Bhutan, in an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18 Managing Editor Zakka Jacob at the office in Noida, hoped that “diplomacy will lead to a solution”. The interview covered a wide range of issues and will air on CNN-News18 at 9.35 pm on Wednesday.

“I don’t think there has been any conversation on this specific issue. I don’t see German media being very vocal about it, but both Canada and India are friendly countries. Canada has a huge minority of Indian descent, and India has a lot of people who go to Canada. There are so many interlinkages and connections. We hope that diplomacy will lead to a solution of this crisis,” he said.

In a blow to the bilateral ties between India and Canada, Canada PM Justin Trudeau recently accused India of being involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar earlier this year. The Ministry of External Affairs, while responding to the allegations, said the claims made by Trudeau are “motivated and absurd”.

On the public accusations against India by Canada, Ackermann said: “I would hesitate to express myself in this matter. I have no background. I would like to reiterate that I really do hope that both countries come together again and find a solution because both the countries need each other. Canada is an important country for India and the other way around.”

Commenting on the Indo-German negotiations on safe havens for extremists, he said: “We have a very small Indian diaspora in Germany in comparison to Canada and we have been talking to the Indian side constantly about this issue. The Indian side has raised some concerns. I think it’s not in the dimension of other countries where the diaspora is much bigger, but we are aware of this problem and we are dealing it together with Indian side.”

The joint statement on the 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and PM Narendra Modi in May 2022 had condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including any use of terrorist proxies and cross-border terrorism.

Both the leaders had “called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law”. They had further “called for concerted action against all terrorist groups, including groups proscribed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 1267 Sanctions Committee”.