Amid escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, visa services have been resumed by India in Canada on Wednesday. This decision follows India’s recent announcement that it was considering resuming visa services for Canadians in the near future.
The resumption of visa services comes more than a month after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised concerns about a possible link between the Indian government and the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In response, India had requested Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in India.
According to a statement by the High Commission of India in Ottawa, visa services have been resumed for Entry visa, Business visa, Medical visa, and Conference visa categories.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed concerns about Canadian personnel’s “continuous interference” in India’s internal affairs and emphasized the need for diplomatic parity. Despite acknowledging a challenging phase in the India-Canada relationship, Jaishankar mentioned that India is considering resuming visa services for Canadians if progress is made in ensuring the safety of Indian diplomats in Canada.
Jaishankar’s remarks indicate India’s firm stance on maintaining diplomatic equality, particularly in light of the recent support extended to Canada by the US and UK.
In response to the tensions, India has suspended visa and consular services at its consulates in , , and Bengaluru, with services now exclusively available at the Canadian High Commission in .
The strained relations between India and Canada were exacerbated following Trudeau’s allegations regarding the potential involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia on June 18. India had previously designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020 and dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
