Canada withdraws 41 diplomats from India amidst tensions

OTTAWA: Canada has decided to recall 41 of its diplomats from India. This decision comes in the midst of a dispute centered around the murder of a Sikh separatist leader.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly made the announcement on Thursday and emphasised that Canada does not intend to retaliate in this ongoing situation.

The diplomatic rift between the two nations began last month when New Delhi requested Canada to reduce its diplomatic presence in India. This request was made following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claim of credible evidence pointing to a potential link between Indian agents and the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a 45-year-old Sikh separatist leader who was fatally shot outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia in June.

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Foreign Minister Joly expressed concern over India’s threat to unilaterally revoke the official status of the Canadian diplomats by the approaching Friday deadline if they did not leave voluntarily. She deemed this action unreasonable and unprecedented, contending that it blatantly violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Speaking at a press conference, Joly stated, “Given the implications of India’s actions on the safety of our diplomats, we have facilitated their safe departure from India. If we allow the norm of diplomatic immunity to be broken, no diplomats anywhere on the planet would be safe. So for this reason, we will not reciprocate.”

As a result of this decision, Canada now maintains a diplomatic presence in India with 21 diplomats. The 41 diplomats who have left were accompanied by 42 of their dependents. The situation continues to evolve as diplomatic tensions persist between the two nations.