(Ottawa) Canada has significantly reduced its diplomatic presence in India in recent hours, an undeniable sign that tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi are far from easing.
Canada therefore responded to the Indian government’s request that Ottawa repatriate a significant number of diplomats so that the size of the Canadian representation in India would be comparable to that maintained by India in Canada.
Result: 41 Canadian diplomats left Indian territory. Their departure comes after two weeks of talks between the two countries aimed at establishing diplomatic “parity”.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed the departure of Canadian diplomats during a press conference on Thursday. She indicated that this escalation of tensions between the two countries will affect services to Canadian nationals in India and to citizens of this country who wish to come to Canada.
The minister clarified that Canada had no choice but to repatriate the diplomats and their relatives because they risked having their diplomatic immunity withdrawn – which could have endangered their safety and that of their families.
“This is clearly contrary to international law and contrary to the Geneva Convention,” the minister said.
She said the Indian government has provided “no reason” for the decision.
“Regardless of their country of origin and location, diplomats must be able to do their work without fear of reprisal from the country in which they are located. This is a fundamental principle of diplomacy and these rules only work if each country respects these rules,” the minister also said.
That said, Canada does not intend to retaliate with further retaliatory measures.
“There is no doubt that India’s decision will have an impact on the levels of services offered to Canadian citizens and Indian citizens. Unfortunately, we had to interrupt in-person services in our consulates,” indicated Minister Joly.
India claims to have only 21 diplomats stationed in Canada while the Canadian government has 62 in India. Canadian diplomats are based at the High Commission in New Delhi and in four consulates.
A diplomatic chill has settled between Canada and India since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau affirmed in the House of Commons on September 18 that Canada has “credible” allegations according to which agents linked to the Indian government had played a role in the murder of a Canadian of Sikh origin, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in June in Burnaby, British Columbia.
New Delhi strongly denied the accusations, saying they were “absurd”.
New Delhi had given Canada until October 10 to repatriate at least 41 of its 62 diplomats in office. The Trudeau government had maintained the hope of finding a compromise by insisting on diplomatic dialogue. But the Modi government has not thrown in the towel.