South Asia

India tells Canada to withdraw 41 diplomats

Published: 12:11, 3 October 2023

India has told Canada to withdraw around 41 diplomats from the country, according to a report published on Monday. In a stern warning, India has also indicated its willingness to revoke the diplomatic immunity of any Canadian diplomats who fail to comply with this directive.

The underlying issue appears to be a notable disparity in the number of diplomatic personnel between the two nations. Specifically, the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi maintains a larger contingent of diplomats compared to India's representation in Ottawa.
This discrepancy can be attributed to the substantial consular section required to assist the relatives of the approximately 1.3 million Canadians who claim Indian heritage.
According to the report, Canada currently has 62 diplomats stationed in India, and the Indian government has explicitly instructed them to reduce this number by 41 individuals.
This diplomatic development arises in the midst of escalating tensions between India and Canada, primarily triggered by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's public allegation on September 18. Trudeau claimed that India was involved in the assassination of Sikh-Canadian leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, in June.
Following these allegations, which also called for India's cooperation in an investigation into Nijjar's killing, Canada took the dramatic step of expelling a high-ranking Indian diplomat. In response, the Indian government strongly refuted these allegations, deeming them "absurd," and retaliated by expelling a Canadian representative.
New Delhi chose to freeze visa services for Canadian nationals. Additionally, the Indian government issued a travel advisory to its citizens, cautioning them about "growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada." The advisory urged Indian nationals in Canada and those contemplating travel to exercise the utmost caution in light of these circumstances.