India-Canada row: New Delhi tells Ottawa to remove 41 diplomats
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ October 3,2023
India has instructed Canada to reduce the number of diplomats in the South Asian country by two thirds as relations between the two nations continue to slide over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, the Financial Times reported, citing people it didn’t identify.
According to a report by Financial Times, sources familiar with the matter have said that the diplomats have been asked to return by October 10, 2023 and has threatened to revoke the immunity of diplomats who remain after that date, the newspaper said. Canada has 62 diplomats in India and has been told to reduce that India has asked Canada to withdraw nearly 40 diplomats from its soil, in a new development of the diplomatic row between the nations.
Indian authorities have not yet issued a statement on the same.
Earlier, Canada’s High Commission said it would “adjust” diplomat numbers in India and the South Asian nation suspended visa processing in Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau demanded India treat with “utmost seriousness” allegations that Indian agents played a role in the June murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver.
India-Canada row: New Delhi tells Ottawa to remove 41 diplomats . The escalation of tensions between the two countries began when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and one of India’s most-wanted terrorists. Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18.
Trudeau urged the Indian government to “cooperate with Canada to get to the bottom of this matter” and to reiterate its position on “extra-judicial operations” in another country.
India has already stopped the processing of Visa services for Canadian citizens since September 21,2023. As per Indian officials ,”due to the inaction of the Canadian government, India is stopping the issuance of visas temporarily.”
