Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Oct 6: According to reports, the Canadian government has removed the majority of its diplomats stationed in India after India reportedly asked that Canada downsize its diplomatic presence.
In light of the diplomatic dispute over the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, diplomats stationed outside of New Delhi have reportedly been sent to either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, according to a report by Canada’s CTV News.
India asked earlier this week that Canada remove around 40 diplomats by October 10. The statement indicated that the Indian government has additionally warned that any Canadian diplomats who remain in the country after the specified deadline may have their diplomatic immunity revoked.
On Thursday, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi, mentioned that India has asked Canada to decrease its diplomatic personnel to “bring parity.”
“Given the much higher diplomatic presence in India and their continuing interference in our internal affairs, we had sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence,” Bagchi said.
The precise number of diplomats relocated from India is currently uncertain.
Up to this point, there has been no official response from either Indian authorities or their Canadian counterparts regarding this development.
After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau implicated Indian agents in the June murder of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, relations between India and Canada have been severely strained.
India, in response, firmly denied the accusations and labelled them “absurd” and “motivated.” A senior Canadian diplomat had also been removed by New Delhi as retaliation for Canada’s expulsion of an Indian envoy.
