Canadians’ inclination towards India increased, favorability fell 11 points in a year: Report
Fewer Canadians now view India positively. According to a report by the Angus Reid Institute, the positive outlook for India among Canadians has dropped 11 points to 33% in 2024 from 44% in March 2023.
Public opinion about India in Canada has declined significantly in the past year, following allegations by the Canadian government of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and meddling in Canadian elections. A survey by the Angus Reid Institute (ARI) showed that positive views of India among Canadians fell 11 points from 44% in March 2023 to 33% in 2024.
India has denied involvement in Nijjar’s killing and rejected claims by Canadian spy agencies of interference in its elections.
In 2024, only a third (33%) of Canadians have a positive opinion of India, while the majority (54%) have a negative opinion of India. This is the lowest percentage since 2019, when 56% of Canadians had a positive opinion of India.
44% of Canadians will have a positive view of India in 2023.
The Angus Reid Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that researches public opinion on economic, social, governance, philanthropy and policy issues in Canada and globally.
The report said, “Positive assessments of India in Canada have declined by 11 points since March 2023; the minority of one-third (33%) who say they view the country favourably is outnumbered by the majority (54%) who do not.”
In contrast, Americans have shown more favorable views toward India.
The Angus Reid Institute (ARI) has found that Canadians are giving very negative assessments of two countries accused of interfering in Canadian elections.
This has been said in the recent special report of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliament (NSICOP). Called India the “second biggest foreign threat” to Canadian democracy,
Favouritism also declined towards China, another country perceived as the biggest threat, with 79% of Canadians holding an unfavourable view of it.
Prime Minister of Canada Trudeau alleges that the Indian government was involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar There has been tension in Canada-India relations.
Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, Canada In June 2023.
However, India has strongly Rejected the claims and called it absurd and motivated,
“Trudeau said Canada supports a “united India,” the presence of Sikh separatists in Canada has been a source of tension between India and Canada. Trudeau’s accusation that the Indian government was involved in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar further added to the strained ties. The recent deterioration in relations between Canada and India has also undermined Canada’s assessment of the world’s most populous country,” the ARI report said.
In addition to bilateral tensions, rising anti-immigration sentiment in Canada also impacts Indians, who are the largest group of immigrants in Canada. This sentiment influences Canadians’ attitudes towards India, shaping public opinion about the world’s most populous country.
In 2023, about 320,000 Indians moved to Canada on study visas. However, starting in 2024, Canada has cut study permits by 35%, as well as stricter work permit criteria and increased scrutiny.
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