The recent diplomatic row between India and Canada has raised concerns about the reduction in diplomatic personnel and its potential impact on various aspects of their bilateral relationship.
In September, during the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau. The Indian government has requested Canada to reduce the number of its diplomats in India to achieve a balanced and equivalent diplomatic presence, a decision that is expected to impact the processing of Canadian visa applications. Canada currently maintains a substantial diplomatic presence in New Delhi, along with consulates in Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Mumbai, to handle the significant influx of visa requests.
India requests Canada to recall numerous diplomats in response to the Nijjar killing dispute.
The extent of a nation’s diplomatic representation in India also indicates the state of the broader bilateral relationship. For example, the United States has notably augmented its diplomatic personnel stationed in India due to the substantial surge in visa requests and the need to manage increased collaboration across various domains.
India has only asked one other nation, Pakistan, to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country. This has typically happened when India and Pakistan have had strained relations in recent decades. The most recent occurrence of this was when Pakistan chose not to appoint a new high commissioner to New Delhi after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.
Alex Usher, president of Education Strategy Associates in Toronto, pointed out that Indian students not only provide double the financial support to the college system compared to Canadian students but also contribute slightly more than the government of Ontario.
Anita Huberman, the CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, expressed concerns to CBC News regarding the uncertain business environment in Surrey, a region with a substantial South Asian population. She highlighted that local businesses are apprehensive about the lack of progress in their trade relations with India, leaving their future prospects uncertain. Moreover, she emphasized the deep familial connections that the Surrey community shares with India, and how these ties are being affected by the current situation, including scheduled and planned visits.