Ratcheting up diplomatic tension with Ottawa, India on September 20, 2023, cited “politically condoned violence” and issued a travel advisory for all Indian nationals in Canada urging them to register with Indian missions. The announcement from the Ministry of External Affairs came hours after Canada issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to “exercise high degree of caution” while travelling to various regions of India.
“In view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada, all Indian nationals there and those contemplating travel are urged to exercise utmost caution. Our High Commission/Consulates General will continue to be in contact with the Canadian authorities to ensure the safety and well being of the Indian community in Canada,” the advisory issued by the Ministry of External Affairs stated.
Apart from the nosediving bilateral relation Canada-India ties have also been affected by the ongoing online activities by Sikhs for Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu who has launched a campaign saying “Indo Hindus Leave Canada”.
Without mentioning the campaign, the MEA advisory said, “Recently, threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda. Indian nationals are therefore advised to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen such incidents.”
The ongoing spat began after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday made unprecedented allegations against India while speaking in the House of Commons and blamed the June murder of pro-Khalistan ideologue Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia on Indian agents. The accusations were stepped up when Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced the expulsion of Pavan Kumar Rai, a diplomat in the High Commission of India in Ottawa. In an unconventional move, she also announced that Mr Rai is the head of station of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) of India.
Responding to that India also expelled a senior Canadian diplomat on Tuesday and asked him to leave within five days. Soon thereafter news reports in online media claimed that Canada had updated its travel advisory to India, warning travellers of ‘unpredictable situation’ in Jammu and Kashmir. However, in a statement to The Hindu, the High Commission of Canada “confirmed that the advisory cautioning against travel to Jammu and Kashmir is not new, and has remained unchanged since at least July 2021.”.
In the backdrop of these exchanges, Mr. Trudeau has reiterated that he is not trying to “provoke” India saying, “The government of India needs to take this matter with the utmost seriousness. We are doing that.”
“Given the deteriorating security environment in Canada, Indian students in particular are advised to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant. Indian nationals and students from India in Canada must also register with the High Commission of India in Ottawa or Consulates General of India in Toronto and Vancouver through their respective websites, or the MADAD portal madad. gov.in,” announced the latest advisory from MEA.
