India-Canada Relations Strained over Alleged Interference; Canada Withdraws 41 Diplomats, India Pauses Visa Issuance
Tensions Heighten After Canadian PM's Accusation of Indian Involvement in Murder; Diplomatic Discourse and Visa Services Affected amidst Safety Concerns for Diplomats
- India has said its relationship with Canada is going through a difficult phase due to what it perceives as interference in its internal affairs by Canadian personnel.
- Tensions between the two countries increased when Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, suggested that Indian agents may have been involved in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia, a claim that India denies.
- India revoked the official diplomatic status of 41 Canadian diplomats, leading to their withdrawal. India's foreign affairs minister, S. Jaishankar, stated that this was due to concerns about ongoing interference in India's affairs.
- India had stopped issuing visas in Canada a few weeks ago due to safety and security concerns for its diplomats working there. It was indicated that visa issuance would resume if the safety of the diplomats improved.
- Both India and Canada accuse each other of violating the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, with Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly calling India’s actions 'unreasonable and unprecedented'.
CNA 
Reuters 
