Relations between India and Canada have dramatically worsened amid the reciprocal diplomatic expulsions, reaching a critical point in the diplomatic crisis. As per the update, India has expelled six Canadian diplomats, issuing the order to flee the country before 11:59 PM on Saturday, October 19.
The six diplomats, as per MEA’s press release are:
- Stewart Ross Wheeler, Acting High Commissioner
- Patrick Hebert, Deputy High Commissioner
- Marie Catherine Joly, First Secretary
- lan Ross David Trites, First Secretary
- Adam James Chuipka, First Secretary
- Paula Orjuela, First Secretary
It has worsened following the announcement made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Indian agents were linked to various crimes homicides and extortions, particularly those targeting pro-Khalistan activists within Canada. The Khalistan movement calls for an independent homeland for Sikhs in India, and this controversy remains one of the reasons their relations have worsened.
The charges mostly concern the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an influential Khalistan supporter who was shot outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, last June. While Canadian police said they had identified more than a dozen foreign agents linked to the crime, they also declined to point directly at India for Nijjar’s murder.
The relations between India and Canada soured further after Trudeau claimed that Canadian intelligence had evidence linking Indian agents to Nijjar’s killing, a claim India has strongly refused as “absurd.” India labelled Nijjar as a terrorist, although his supporters refute the accusation.
Related: SFJ issues threat against Indian High Commissioner, Canadian government fails to act
Relations between India and Canada cause two-way expulsion of diplomats
Responding to these accusations, India requested that Canada recall several of its diplomats in the country due to safety reasons. This led to a mutual expulsion of diplomats, forcing Canada to expel several Indian envoys, including High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma. The tit-for-tat expulsions only worsened the diplomatic fallout, which led India to suspend visa services to Canadian citizens.
The Canadian officials, including Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, said that relations with India are now “tense” and “very difficult.” To make matters worse, the Canadian authorities said that there were apprehensions against some of the pro-Khalistanis, raising the security concerns for both the nations’ diplomats.
Meanwhile, for the second day in a row, the murder case of Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar is yet to be probed as there has been a mutual expulsion of diplomats-a move that again reflects the deep mistrust currently characterizing the fragile relationship between two countries.
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