Diplomats and 42 of their family members departed due to increasing tension regarding Canada’s claim that India played a role in the assassination of a Sikh leader in British Columbia.
Canada has withdrawn a significant portion of its diplomats from India after India announced its intention to revoke their diplomatic immunity this Friday. This has escalated tensions between the two nations.
India and Canada have been engaged in a growing dispute, particularly after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed last month that Indian government agents were involved in the murder of a Sikh separatist in British Columbia, who was also a Canadian citizen.
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly expressed her disappointment, stating that India had not provided a valid justification for revoking the diplomats’ immunity, which she deemed a violation of international law.
Canada had been in negotiations with India to prevent the effective expulsion of its diplomats, but the current status of these discussions was not disclosed by Ms. Joly. She strongly condemned India’s decision, emphasizing the importance of diplomatic immunity as a crucial aspect of international relations, allowing diplomats to perform their duties without fear of retaliation or arrest in the host country. She stressed that these principles only work if all nations adhere to the rules.
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She mentioned that India’s actions were “unreasonable and escalating.”
On Wednesday, 41 Canadian diplomats and 42 of their family members left India, according to Ms. Joly. With 21 diplomats still remaining in India, Canada plans to temporarily close three consulates in the country and centralize services at its primary diplomatic mission in Delhi, the capital.
Ms. Joly emphasized that Canada will not take a reciprocal action in response to India’s move, as it violates the rules outlined in the Geneva Convention governing diplomatic relations between nations. She stressed that this is essential to preserve the norm of diplomatic immunity, ensuring the safety of diplomats worldwide.
The recent departure of diplomats is not the first consequence of this dispute, but it is the most significant to date. Earlier, Canada requested the head of India’s security service in the country to leave due to public statements made by Prime Minister Trudeau linking India to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. In response, India promptly recalled a Canadian diplomat, and visa applications from Canadian nationals were suspended.
The Canadian high commissioner remains in India. India serves as a significant source of permanent immigrants, temporary foreign workers, and foreign students for Canada. Immigration Minister Marc Miller expressed concern that the departure of diplomats might cause delays in visa and immigration processing for individuals in India. He mentioned that the visa centers where Indians submit their initial applications, operated by contractors, will continue to function, and efforts will be made to minimize disruptions.
Ms. Joly refrained from commenting on any ongoing discussions between Canadian officials and India regarding the allegations of Indian involvement in the shooting death of Mr. Nijjar, who advocated for the creation of an independent nation, Khalistan, including parts of India’s Punjab State.
The Indian diplomatic mission in Ottawa did not provide an immediate response to the request for comment.
Errol Mendes, a professor of international law at the University of Ottawa, criticized the Indian government’s decision, calling it “a stunningly bad decision” and suggesting that such a substantial withdrawal of diplomats is typically a signal of adversarial intent.
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