India lifts visa suspension for Canada
India has announced that it will restore the e-visa services for Canadian passport holders who wish to visit India for tourism, business, medical or conference purposes. The decision comes after a month-long suspension of visa services in Canada and for Canadian citizens worldwide, amid rising diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
The Indian High Commission in Ottawa issued a statement on Wednesday, saying that the e-visa facilities will be available for Canadian travellers starting from December 20, 2022. The statement also said that emergency situations will continue to be addressed by the High Commission and the Consulates General as it is being done currently.
The resumption of e-visa services is seen as a positive sign of easing the bilateral relations between India and Canada, which have been strained since September, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that India may have been involved in the killing of a Canadian Sikh leader in British Columbia.
India denies involvement in Nijjar’s death
The Canadian Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was a pro-Khalistan activist who advocated for the creation of a separate Sikh state in India. He was shot dead outside his home in Surrey on September 18, 2023, by unknown assailants.
Trudeau said in the House of Commons that Canada’s intelligence services were probing “a potential link” between India’s government and Nijjar’s killing. He also said that Canada had shared “credible allegations” with India “many weeks ago” and demanded cooperation in the investigation.
India strongly denied the accusation and called it “baseless and unacceptable”. India also expressed its displeasure over Trudeau’s remarks, which it said were “interfering in India’s internal affairs and undermining its sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
India suspends visa services in Canada
In response to Trudeau’s allegation, India suspended visa services in Canada on September 21, 2023, citing “operational reasons”. India also stopped serving Canadian citizens in other parts of the world, too.
The suspension of visa services affected thousands of Canadians who had planned to travel to India for various reasons, such as tourism, business, medical, family, or religious purposes. Many Canadians expressed their frustration and anxiety over the visa freeze, especially during the peak wedding season in India.
India also announced that it would revoke the diplomatic immunity of 41 Canadian diplomats in India, after accusing Canada of violating the principle of “diplomatic parity”. India claimed that Canada had reduced the number of Indian diplomats in Canada from 50 to 33, while Canada had 50 diplomats in India.
The 41 Canadian diplomats left India on October 20, 2023, after India refused to extend their immunity. Trudeau condemned India’s move as a violation of international law and said that it “is something that all countries in the world should be very worried about”.
India and Canada seek to mend ties
Despite the diplomatic spat, India and Canada have expressed their desire to resolve the issues and improve their bilateral relations. Both countries have a long history of friendship and cooperation, as well as strong people-to-people ties.
India and Canada are also important trade and investment partners, with bilateral trade reaching $9.6 billion in 2022. The two countries have also collaborated on various fields, such as education, science and technology, energy, agriculture, and defence.
The restoration of e-visa services for Canada is a welcome step towards normalizing the travel and tourism between the two countries, which have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the visa suspension. It is also hoped that the e-visa resumption will pave the way for further dialogue and engagement between India and Canada, and foster mutual trust and understanding.
