(Ottawa) Canada has been forced to significantly reduce its diplomatic presence in India in recent hours, an undeniable sign that tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi are far from easing.
The story so far
- Justin Trudeau argued on September 18 that agents linked to the Indian government played a role in the assassination of a Canadian of Sikh origin last June in Surrey, British Columbia.
- India has vigorously denied the allegations.
- Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been at their lowest point ever since. India demanded and obtained the departure of 41 of the 62 Canadian diplomats stationed on its territory.
Canada had no choice but to respond to the Indian government’s request that Ottawa reduce the size of Canadian representation in India so that it was comparable to that maintained by New Delhi in Canada.
Result: 41 Canadian diplomats and their relatives 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 would affect services to Canadian nationals who are in India and to citizens of this country who wish to come to Canada.
The Canadian High Commission in New Delhi remains open, but services offered at the consulates in Chandigarh, Bombay and Bangalore will be significantly reduced.
The minister said Canada was forced to repatriate the diplomats and their relatives because they risked having their diplomatic immunity withdrawn – which could have endangered their safety and that of their families.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 Vienna Convention,” said the head of Canadian diplomacy, who was accompanied by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller.
Mme Joly said the Indian government had not provided “any reason” for the decision.
New Delhi had given Canada until October 10 to repatriate at least 41 of its diplomats in office. The Trudeau government had maintained the hope of finding a compromise by insisting on diplomatic dialogue. But the government of Narendra Modi did not want to throw away ballast.
“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 them,” insisted the minister.
That said, Canada does not intend to retaliate with further retaliatory measures.
If we accept this approach, no diplomat anywhere will be safe on the planet. For this reason, Canada will not adopt the same approach as India.
Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada
For his part, Minister Marc Miller indicated that Canada would continue to process applications for permanent and temporary residence from India. However, he warned that India’s decision would have consequences for their treatment.
“Customers may experience longer processing times and may have to wait longer to get their questions answered or their passport visaed,” Miller said.
A diplomatic chill has settled between Canada and India for several years. But relations between the two countries have been at an all-time low since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau put India in the dock. In a statement he made in the House of Commons on September 18 and which shook chancelleries across the planet, he affirmed that Canada had “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 Surrey, British Columbia.
New Delhi vigorously denied the accusations, saying they were “absurd”. Hardeep Singh Nijjar was accused of conspiracy to murder and terrorism in India. He was reportedly the subject of death threats because of his support for an independent Sikh state in Khalistan, India.
In the wake of the prime minister’s statement, Canada expelled a top Indian diplomat, Pavan Kumar Rai. The Modi government’s response was immediate. He in turn expelled a senior Canadian diplomat stationed in India.
Three days later, on September 21, the Indian government announced that it was suspending the processing of visa applications submitted by Canadian citizens until further notice.