NEW YORK: India has told Canada that it must repatriate 41 diplomats by October 10, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
Ties between India and Canada have become seriously strained over Canadian suspicion that Indian government agents had a role in the June murder in Canada of a Sikh separatist leader and Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who India had labelled a “terrorist”. India has dismissed the allegation as “absurd”. The Financial Times, citing people familiar with the Indian demand, said India had threatened to revoke the diplomatic immunity of those diplomats told to leave who remained after October 10.
Canada has 62 diplomats in India and India had said that the total should be reduced by 41, the newspaper said. The Indian and Canadian foreign ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said earlier there was a “climate of violence” and an “atmosphere of intimidation” against Indian diplomats in Canada, where the presence of Sikh separatist groups has frustrated New Delhi. After accusing India of being involved in the Canadian citizen’s murder, Ottawa took the significant step of expelling India’s top intelligence agent in connection with the case. Canada is actively pursuing credible allegations linking Indian government agents to Nijjar’s murder. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the Canadian House of Commons in an emergency statement, condemning any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen as an unacceptable violation of Canada’s sovereignty. –Agencies
