Canada has suspended in-person services at its consulates in India following the withdrawal of 41 diplomats by the federal government. This decision comes amid ongoing tensions between India and Canada, sparked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assertion that Canadian intelligence had credible evidence of potential involvement by Indian government agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian-Sikh advocate, outside a gurdwara in Surrey, B.C., in June.
The Consulates General of Canada in Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Mumbai have temporarily halted in-person operations. Canadians seeking consular assistance and information are directed to the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi, where in-person consular services continue to be available.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly explained that the evacuation of 41 diplomats from India was in response to New Delhi’s decision to revoke their diplomatic immunity, along with that of their 42 family members. Joly expressed concerns about the personal safety of these diplomats and emphasized the importance of safeguarding Canadians and diplomatic personnel.
Canada does not intend to retaliate in kind, as doing so would be contrary to international law. Joly criticized India’s actions as unreasonable and noted that revoking diplomatic immunity overnight, as India did, sets a concerning precedent.
New Delhi has called for parity in the number of diplomats hosted by each country, given the current disagreement. According to the High Commission of India’s website, India has 12 diplomats in Ottawa, part of the 19 with some diplomatic status across Canada.
India’s foreign ministry rejects any portrayal of its actions as violating international norms and insists that the state of bilateral relations, the larger number of Canadian diplomats in India, and their interference in India’s internal affairs warrant mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa.
While Trudeau expressed concern over India’s revocation of diplomatic immunity, Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged that the staff reduction would impact the processing of temporary and permanent resident applications. Nevertheless, Canada remains committed to welcoming Indians into the country.
The tensions between the two nations stem from allegations surrounding the late Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh leader and advocate for the Khalistan movement, whom India accused of having links to terrorism. India has suspended visa services in Canada, and Ottawa has not responded in kind to these actions. Additionally, there have been diplomatic expulsions on both sides in the past.