India resumes Visa services for Canadians following diplomatic standoff

India’s High Commission in Ottawa has announced the resumption of visa services for Canadian citizens. This decision comes after a hiatus that began in September, when India cited “security threats” disrupting operations at its Canadian missions as the reason for suspending these services.

The initial suspension coincided with a contentious dispute over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil. Ottawa had accused India of involvement in the assassination, an accusation that New Delhi vehemently rejected as “absurd.”

In a statement released on Wednesday, Indian officials indicated that they would commence the issuance of certain visas. This move follows a comprehensive review of the security situation at their missions and takes into account recent measures taken by the Canadian government, the specifics of which were not disclosed. The statement emphasized that further decisions would be made based on an ongoing evaluation of the situation.

The resumption of visa services is expected to take effect on Thursday and will encompass various categories, including entry visas, business visas, medical visas, and conference visas. Entry visas cater to “persons of Indian origin,” their spouses, children, and immediate family members of Indian citizens, according to the Toronto Consulate General of India’s website.

It remains uncertain whether this renewal of services extends to Canadian tourists who require specific tourist visas.

Diplomatic relations between India and Canada reached historic lows after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly acknowledged the investigation of credible allegations concerning India’s involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader killed in Surrey, British Columbia, in June. Although the incident was described as a “targeted killing” by the police, no suspects have been identified.

Trudeau has urged India to cooperate with the ongoing murder investigation while emphasizing Canada’s commitment to not escalate tensions with India. In response to the deteriorating diplomatic situation, Canada had recently withdrawn a significant number of its diplomats from India after India threatened to remove their diplomatic immunity. India insisted on diplomatic parity, arguing that Canada had more diplomats in Delhi than India had in Ottawa. However, data on the Global Affairs website suggests a roughly equal number of Indian diplomats in Ottawa.

Currently, twenty-one Canadian diplomats remain in India, marking a complex and evolving diplomatic relationship between the two nations.