Canada high commission in India to 'temporarily adjust staff presence' after alleged threat to diplomats

The High Commission of Canada in India said on Thursday that it has decided to "temporarily adjust staff presence" in the country after claiming its diplomats received threats on social media.

The High Commission of Canada in India said: "Our High Commission and all consulates in India are open and operational and continue to serve clients. In light of the current environment where tensions have heightened, we are taking action to ensure the safety of our diplomats. With some diplomats having received threats on various social media platforms, Global Affairs Canada is assessing its staff complement in India. 

"As a result, and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to temporarily adjust staff presence in India. In the context of respect for obligations under the Vienna conventions, we expect India to provide for the security of our accredited diplomats and consular officers in India, just as we are for theirs here."

Canada and India have been in a diplomatic row over the killing of a Khalistani separatist leader in the North American country.

Meanwhile, the Indian Mission in Canada on Thursday suspended visa services till further notice citing operational reasons, according to BLS International. BLS International Services Limited is an Indian outsourcing service provider for government and diplomatic missions worldwide. The company manages visa, passport, consular, attestation and citizen services.

As per BLS International , interested visa applicants have been advised to keep checking the BLS website for further updates on the issue. "Important notice from Indian Mission: Due to operational reasons, with effect from 21 September 2023, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice. Please keep checking BLS website for further updates," the BLS website said.

Interestingly, the ticket had reappered on the BLS International website  after briefly disappearing.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations of ''potential'' involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June unleashed a diplomatic row with India rejecting the charges as ''absurd'' and ''motivated'' and kicking out a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa's expulsion of an Indian official.

India on Wednesday advised all its citizens living in Canada and those contemplating travelling there to exercise ''utmost caution'' in view of growing anti-India activities and ''politically-condoned'' hate crimes in the North American country, as the diplomatic row over the killing of a Khalistani separatist leader threatened to snowball into a major confrontation.

In a strongly-worded advisory, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi referred to ''threats'' targeting Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community that oppose the ''anti-India agenda'', and asked Indian nationals to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada which have seen such incidents.