Canada and India each expelled six diplomats today in tit-for-tat moves as part of an escalating dispute over the June 2023 assassination of a Sikh activist in Canada.
A senior Canadian government official said that Canada was expelling six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, after police uncovered evidence of ongoing violent criminal activity linked to the Indian government.
Shortly afterwards, the Indian foreign ministry said it was expelling six Canadian diplomats. It had said earlier that India was withdrawing its diplomats, after rejecting Canada’s notification that the Indian ambassador was a “person of interest” in the assassination.
According to a statement released on Monday by the Indian foreign ministry, India has recalled its ambassador and other senior diplomats from Canada after the Canadian government identified them as persons of interest in an investigation. While the statement did not explain what the investigation was about, it cited an “atmosphere of extremism and violence” that allegedly jeopardizes the safety of its diplomatic staff in Ottawa.
This move escalates a dispute that has simmered for over a year, linked to the assassination of a prominent Canadian Khalistani Terrorist Nijjar in British Columbia.
A second senior Canadian official said that Canada expelled the Indian diplomats first before they withdrew. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorised to speak publicly on the matter.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last year that there were credible allegations that the Indian government had links to the June 2023 assassination in Canada of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India has rejected the accusation as absurd.
In response to the allegations, India told Canada last year to remove 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country. Ever since, the relations between the two countries have been frosty.
The Indian foreign ministry said that “India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the Trudeau government’s support for extremism, violence and separatism against India”.
