Canada Withdraws 41 Diplomats from India Amid Diplomatic Strain

By IndraStra Global News Team

Cover Image Attribute: A view of the Canadian High Commission at Shantipath in New Delhi. / Source: ANI

Canada has announced the withdrawal of 41 diplomats from India, marking a significant development in a bitter dispute stemming from the assassination of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil. This move comes as India planned to revoke diplomatic immunity for nearly all of Canada's diplomats and their families, forcing Ottawa's hand in withdrawing these personnel.  
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly made the announcement, highlighting the intensification of tensions between the two nations. "We have facilitated their safe departure from India," stated Joly. "This means that our diplomats and their families have now left the country." She revealed that India had communicated its intention to unilaterally remove diplomatic immunity for all but 21 diplomats by October 20th, a move Canada denounced as illegal under international law. The withdrawal of these diplomatic personnel leaves Canada with inadequate staffing, necessitating the temporary suspension of in-person operations in major cities such as Bangalore, Mumbai, and Chandigarh. A specific timeline for resuming these services still needs to be determined.
The strained relationship between India and Canada reached a breaking point after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly linked Indian intelligence to the murder of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In response, New Delhi vehemently denied any involvement in the assassination. Nijjar, a vocal advocate for a separate Sikh state independent from India, had been sought by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder.
Joly emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "Revoking the diplomatic immunity of 41 diplomats is not only unprecedented but also contrary to international law." However, Canada did not intend to retaliate in kind, aiming to avoid further exacerbating the already fraught situation. "Canada will continue to defend international law, which applies to all nations, and will continue to engage with India," she said. "Now more than ever, we need diplomats on the ground, and we need to talk to one another."
Canada has called on India to cooperate in the investigation of Nijjar's murder. Still, India, in turn, rejected the allegations and initiated countermeasures, including the suspension of visa services for Canadian nationals and the expulsion of an Indian diplomat in Canada.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking last month in New York, expressed India's willingness to examine any evidence presented by Canada. He pointed out that India had shared substantial information about organized crime leadership operating out of Canada, explicitly referring to Sikh separatists. Jaishankar also voiced concerns about the safety of Indian diplomats and consulates, citing attacks on diplomatic missions and undue interference in Indian politics.
The Indian government labeled the Canadian accusations concerning the assassination as "absurd." It issued advisories against travel to specific regions in Canada due to the perceived rise in anti-Indian activities. Furthermore, New Delhi temporarily halted visa application processing for Canadians.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who had immigrated to Canada in 1997 and obtained Canadian citizenship in 2015, was fatally shot by two masked assailants in the parking lot of a Sikh temple near Vancouver in June. Canada is home to approximately 770,000 Sikhs, constituting around 2% of the country's population, with a vocal segment advocating for the creation of an independent state known as Khalistan. In India, the Sikh separatist movement has largely waned, with security forces using force to quell an insurgency in Punjab during the 1980s.
Last month, hundreds of Sikh protesters gathered outside Indian diplomatic missions in Canada, burning flags and defacing images of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This ongoing tension between Ottawa and New Delhi has created a sensitive situation for their mutual ally, the United States, which has been strengthening its ties with India, aiming to curb Chinese influence in the region. 

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