India Suspends Visa Services for Canadian Citizens and Requests Staff Reduction: Tensions Rise

NEW DELHI, KOMPAS.com – India suspended visa services for Canadian citizens starting Thursday (21/9/2023), and asked Canada to reduce staff members at their embassy in India.

Tensions between the two countries have increased.

Canadian citizens who currently do not have a visa will not be able to travel to India before visa services resume.

Also read: Confused Canada-India Relations After Singh Nijjar’s Assassination

India has also requested that Canada reduce its diplomatic presence in the country.

Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said it was a step to achieve balance. This is because Indian staff members in Canada are far outnumbered by Canadian staff in India.

India also warned its citizens to be careful when traveling to Canada.

India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in New Delhi said there were anti-India activities and hate crimes that had been politically tolerated.

Relations between India and Canada have been tense since Monday (18/9/2023), when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were credible allegations that India was involved in the death of Canadian citizen and Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June near the city of Vancouver. .

Canada’s public broadcaster CBC has reported that a member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance provided Canada with information that led to the allegations. The member’s identity has not been disclosed.

Also read: The plane no longer breaks down, the Canadian PM finally returns home from the G20 India summit

Five Eyes is an intelligence sharing network, consisting of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US.

Although Trudeau said he did not want to provoke or get into trouble with India, he emphasized that Canada is very firm about the importance of the rule of law to protect Canadians.

It has asked India to cooperate in the investigation of Nijjar’s death.

India is seen by many internationally as an important adversary in the face of China’s growing international influence, which has made many of Canada’s allies reluctant to intervene in the dispute.

Canada and India generally have a good relationship that hinges on trade and security, although India has accused Canada of harboring Sikh separatists and people India considers terrorists.

Also read: Canadian Man Who Killed Muslim Family Exposed to White Supremacy

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2023-09-22 15:58:00
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