India and Canada relations have further deteriorated after India announced that it was suspending visa services for Canadians. The decision comes in response to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation that India was involved in the murder of a Sikh activist in British Columbia in June.
India has rejected the allegations as “absurd” and has expelled two Canadian diplomats in retaliation. Canada has responded by expelling two Indian diplomats.India has also updated its travel advisory for Canada, warning its citizens to take “extreme caution” due to “growing anti-India activities and politically condoned hate crimes”. Canada’s own advisory for its nationals travelling to India includes warnings of a “threat of terrorist attack throughout the country”. The two sides have also announced that they are suspending ongoing trade talks.
The suspension of visa services is likely to have a significant impact on people in both countries. Canada is home to a large Indian diaspora community, while India is a popular tourist destination for Canadians.
The issue of Khalistan, a secessionist movement fighting for Punjab to become an independent Sikh state, has long been a sore spot in India-Canada relations. Canada is home to a large Sikh diaspora community and India has alleged that the Canadian government is turning a blind eye to Khalistani extremism on its own soil.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh activist who was killed in June, had been named as a terrorist by the Indian government in 2020. It is unclear when visa services will resume or if Canada will impose similar visa restrictions on Indian citizens.
