Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau senses a “tonal shift” in India’s stance on cooperating with Canada’s probe into the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, underscoring that there appears to be a realisation in New Delhi that it cannot wish the problem away with “bluster”.

Trudeau was responding to questions in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on whether there was any change in India’s position on the Canadian probe into the Nijjar killing since the US department of justice indictment of an Indian national in a plot to murder Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. “I wouldn’t say it’s changed, but there might be a tonal shift,” Trudeau said.

External affairs ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi sidestepped a question seeking a response from India on Trudeau’s comment regarding a “tonal shift” but maintained that India’s position has been consistent.

“Whenever it has been raised we have highlighted how we see the problem. Frankly, the core issue remains the space that is given to extremists, terrorists and anti-India elements in that country.… Our position has remained consistent and we would hope that they would take action on such extremist elements that are misusing the freedom of speech and expression in their country,” Bagchi said.

Replying to a related question on whether India has shown any willingness to work with the Americans and Canada since the indictment, Trudeau said: “I think there is a beginning of an understanding that they can’t bluster their way through this and there is an openness to collaborating in a way that perhaps they were less open before.... There’s an understanding that maybe, maybe just churning out attacks against Canada isn’t going to make this problem go away.”

Trudeau once again made it clear that Canada is not looking for a fight with India. “We don’t want to be in a situation of having a fight with India right now over this. We want to be working on that trade deal, we want to be advancing our Indo-Pacific strategy, but it is foundational for Canada to stand up for people’s rights, for people’s safety and for the rule of law. And that’s what we are going to do.”

India’s response to the US indictment in the attempted murder of Pannun and the allegation of an Indian government hand in the plot has been very different from the reaction to similar allegations made by Trudeau in the Canadian Parliament in September on the Nijjar murder. While India has resisted pressure from the US to join the Canadian probe, New Delhi announced an enquiry into Washington’s allegations without much ado, maintaining that the quality of the intelligence provided dictated the response.