By Online Desk
The escalation of Indo-Canada diplomatic tensions reached a new point on Tuesday after India informed Canada to withdraw dozens of diplomats from the country.
According to a report from the Financial Times, India has asked Canada to repatriate as many as 40 diplomats by October 10 and further threatened to revoke diplomatic immunity for those staying past next week’s deadline.
The FT report speculates that India’s move comes at the back of New Delhi seeking “parity” in the number and grade of diplomats posted to each other’s embassies.
Canada has more diplomats in its High Commission in Delhi than India does in Ottawa owing to larger consular access for over 1.2 million Canadians with Indian heritage. Currently, 62 envoys have been posted to the Canadian mission in India and New Delhi wants to reduce it to 41 people.
Tuesday’s diplomatic blockade is the latest move among several others after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of a Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.
Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.
Trudeau during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, claimed his country’s national security officials had reasons to believe that “agents of the Indian government” carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who also served as the president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.
The allegations made by the Canadian Prime Minister and foreign minister were rejected by the Ministry of External Affairs in India which dubbed the statements as “absurd” and “motivated.”
Last month, India temporarily suspended its visa services in Canada, “until further notice” after both nations continued to escalate tensions by removing envoys from each other’s High Commissions.
On September 19, India expelled a top Canadian diplomat in a retaliatory move, Canada had asked the head of Indian intelligence in Ottawa mission to leave the country a day earlier.
On September 20, India issued an advisory for all its citizens in Canada and those travelling to the country to “exercise utmost caution” in view of growing anti-India activities. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) referred to “threats” targeting Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community that oppose the “anti-India agenda”, and asked Indian nationals to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen such incidents.
The India-Canada ties have been reeling under some strain for the last few months in view of increasing activities of the pro-Khalistani elements in the North American country. India believes the Trudeau government is not addressing its genuine concerns.
The escalation of Indo-Canada diplomatic tensions reached a new point on Tuesday after India informed Canada to withdraw dozens of diplomats from the country.
According to a report from the Financial Times, India has asked Canada to repatriate as many as 40 diplomats by October 10 and further threatened to revoke diplomatic immunity for those staying past next week’s deadline.
The FT report speculates that India’s move comes at the back of New Delhi seeking “parity” in the number and grade of diplomats posted to each other’s embassies.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Canada has more diplomats in its High Commission in Delhi than India does in Ottawa owing to larger consular access for over 1.2 million Canadians with Indian heritage. Currently, 62 envoys have been posted to the Canadian mission in India and New Delhi wants to reduce it to 41 people.
Tuesday’s diplomatic blockade is the latest move among several others after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of a Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.
Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.
Trudeau during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, claimed his country’s national security officials had reasons to believe that “agents of the Indian government” carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who also served as the president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.
The allegations made by the Canadian Prime Minister and foreign minister were rejected by the Ministry of External Affairs in India which dubbed the statements as “absurd” and “motivated.”
Last month, India temporarily suspended its visa services in Canada, “until further notice” after both nations continued to escalate tensions by removing envoys from each other’s High Commissions.
On September 19, India expelled a top Canadian diplomat in a retaliatory move, Canada had asked the head of Indian intelligence in Ottawa mission to leave the country a day earlier.
On September 20, India issued an advisory for all its citizens in Canada and those travelling to the country to “exercise utmost caution” in view of growing anti-India activities. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) referred to “threats” targeting Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community that oppose the “anti-India agenda”, and asked Indian nationals to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen such incidents.
The India-Canada ties have been reeling under some strain for the last few months in view of increasing activities of the pro-Khalistani elements in the North American country. India believes the Trudeau government is not addressing its genuine concerns.
