Here's what JNU's new VC Santishree Pandit thinks is plaguing India-Canada ties

Noting that India and Canada had "differences of opinion" on farmers' protests and the North American country's "support to Khalistanis", JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit on Monday said the ties between the two nations have "struggled to prosper" despite them sharing various common things.

Delivering the inaugural address at a lecture series organised by the varsity's Centre for Canadian, US and Latin American Studies, Pandit said the differences between the two sides have not gone away over the years due to Canada's inability to take India's strategic relations and sensitivities into consideration.

"India and Canada have a long way to go. We can still better our relationships. We have had our relationship since 1947 and we know that recently we had differences of opinions on the farmers' movement as well as Canada's support to the Khalistanis," she said.

"India and Canada's relations have struggled to prosper despite the two countries sharing various complementaries such as democratic character and association in the Commonwealth," she added.

The two-day lecture series -- COVID-19 and the Engaged Democracies with special reference to Canada and India -- has been funded by Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI).

The inaugural address was also attended by AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria and SICI Director Prachi Kaul.

During her address, the JNU VC spoke about the contentious issues that have prevented the two countries from strengthening their ties.

She claimed that India's Canada policy has partly been influenced by the presence of Khalistan sympathisers, who espoused anti-India sentiments".

Pandit added that Canada's criticism of New Delhi has dented India's interest in engaging the country as a strategic partner.

"The criticism (from Canada) has come at various levels, including provincial legislatures involving past actions such as military actions in Amritsar Golden temple and the 1984 riots," she noted.

In 2017, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario had passed a motion extending the official recognition to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as Sikh "genocide" in India.

India had strongly rejected the move, terming it as "misguided".

She suggested that India must divert its attention from politically contentious issues.