India has taken a significant step in defusing the diplomatic tension with Canada as it reinitiates visa services for Canadian citizens.
The decision, announced on Thursday, marks the reversal of a month-long ban that had strained relations between the two nations. The renewed visa services encompass entry, business, medical, and conference visas.
While regular services are set to resume, the Indian High Commission and consulates in Toronto and Vancouver will prioritize handling emergency cases.
Expressing relief, Canadian Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan termed the development as “good news for Canadians,” indicating a potential restoration of amicable ties between the two nations.
The suspension of visa services had been India’s response to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations linking the Indian government to the killing of 45-year-old Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Nijjar was fatally shot by masked assailants outside a Sikh temple near Vancouver on June 18.
Notably, India has long accused Nijjar, an Indian-born individual advocating for an independent Sikh state within India, of having ties to terrorism. Despite these allegations, Nijjar consistently refuted the charges against him.
Denying any involvement in the activist’s murder, India dismissed Trudeau’s claims as “absurd” and driven by political motives, thus vehemently rejecting any culpability in the incident.
Canada boasts a significant population of Indian origin, with approximately 1.4 million individuals, including 777,000 Sikhs, making it the largest Sikh community outside of India.
A minority of Sikhs residing in Canada advocate for the establishment of a separate state called Khalistan in Punjab and other Punjabi-speaking regions in northern India.
While the Sikh separatist movement has largely diminished within India since the government quelled an insurgency in Punjab during the 1980s, its influence continues to persist among the Indian diaspora, primarily in Canada, where the Sikh community holds a substantial presence.
Delhi has consistently accused Canada of tolerating what it deems as “extremist” Sikh separatist activities, labeling those involved as “terrorists” and “criminals” taking refuge on Canadian soil.
In September, Trudeau’s remarks on the possibility of Indian government involvement in Nijjar’s murder further exacerbated the strain on diplomatic relations, adding fuel to the already escalating tensions between the two nations.
“Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” Trudeau said. “Canada is a rule-of-law country, the protection of our citizens and defence of our sovereignty are fundamental.”
India vehemently dismissed the allegations, yet subsequently expressed its willingness to investigate any pertinent information provided by Canada in the matter.
Canada Recalls 41 Diplomats from India
Canada, in collaboration with its ally, the United States, urged India to engage in complete cooperation during the investigation.
Furthermore, alongside the suspension of visa services, India issued a cautionary statement to Canada, indicating its intention to revoke the diplomatic immunity of 41 of its diplomats. In response, Ottawa proceeded to summon back 41 out of the 62 diplomats stationed in India.
India clarified its stance, asserting that the recall of diplomats by Canada was sought to ensure a balanced and equitable diplomatic presence between the two nations.
“Resolving differences requires diplomats on the ground,” Matthew Miller, a Canadian State Department spokesman, said in a statement last week.
“We have urged the Indian government not to insist upon a reduction in Canada’s diplomatic presence and to cooperate in the ongoing Canadian investigation.”