Canada has withdrawn 41 of its diplomats from India after the Indian government declared its intention to revoke their diplomatic immunity, told the Canadian Foreign Minister on October 19.
The move came in the wake of allegations by Canada that India may have played a role in the June killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in suburban Vancouver, a Sikh separatist leader. India, in turn, accused Canada of harboring separatists and terrorists but vehemently denied involvement in the killing, dismissing the allegation as “absurd.”
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly announced the recall of diplomats on Thursday, revealing that 41 of Canada’s 62 diplomats in India, along with their dependents, have been removed. Notably, exceptions have been made for 21 Canadian diplomats who will remain in India.
“Forty-one Canadian diplomats and their 42 dependents were in danger of having their immunity stripped on an arbitrary date and this would put their personal safety at risk,” Joly said. “Our diplomats and their families have now left.”
The removal of diplomatic immunity is an unprecedented move, and Canada insists it violates international law, specifically the Geneva Convention on diplomatic relations.
Despite the escalating tension, Joly emphasized that Canada would not resort to a similar action against Indian diplomats, emphasizing the importance of diplomacy in resolving conflicts.
India’s decision to revoke diplomatic immunity is expected to impact the level of services offered to citizens of both countries, according to Joly. Canada has announced a pause in in-person services in Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Bangalore.
The diplomatic clash between the two nations was exacerbated by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement last month, suggesting “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s slaying.
For years, India had accused Nijjar, a Canadian citizen born in India, of having links to terrorism, which he consistently denied. As part of its response, India has canceled visas for Canadians.
Justin Trudeau has tried to maintain a measured approach, emphasizing that Canada is not looking to provoke or escalate the situation. However, the latest expulsions by India have strained diplomatic relations further. Trudeau’s interactions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the recent Group of 20 meeting in New Delhi were reportedly frosty. Subsequently, Canada canceled a planned trade mission to India for the fall.
The United States has also been drawn into the dispute, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussing the matter with India’s foreign minister. While U.S. officials have acknowledged the potential impact on relations with India, they have been careful not to attribute blame for Nijjar’s killing.
Nelson Wiseman, a political scientist at the University of Toronto, noted that there would be little point in Canada retaliating against India’s recent actions.
“The expulsions of the Canadian diplomats reveal the thin skin of the Indians; it suggests that they know they are complicit in the murder of a Canadian in Canada,” Wiseman said. “They are trying to deflect attention from their lack of cooperation with Canada in the investigation of the murder.”
The situation remains fluid, and diplomatic efforts are ongoing to de-escalate tensions between the two nations.