Posted on 09/21/2023 10:23:31 AM PDT by george76
India on Thursday suspended new visas for Canadians and asked Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country, sharply escalating a spat triggered by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's accusations linking New Delhi to a Sikh separatist's murder.
The Indian foreign ministry said Canada has not shared any specific information in connection with the allegations Trudeau made and that New Delhi was willing to look at it if provided.
A blanket suspension of new visas by India for a Western country is unheard of and marks the lowest point of India-Canada relations.
The announcement came hours after Canada's high commission in India said it would temporarily "adjust" staff presence in the country after some diplomats received threats on social media platforms.
...
Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Ottawa had been asked to reduce numbers at its diplomatic missions in India to bring parity between the missions of the two countries.
Bagchi said India suspended issuing new visas to Canadian citizens due to "security threats" to its staff in its consulates in Canada.
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The unprecedented tensions flared up on Monday after Trudeau said Ottawa was investigating "credible allegations" about the potential involvement of Indian government agents in the June murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government denied any links to the alleged murder.
Canadian officials have so far declined to say why they believe India could be linked to Nijjar's murder.
The two countries, whose relations have been fraying in recent years over the issue of Sikh separatists, have since announced tit-for-tat expulsions of senior diplomats and issued tit-for-tat travel advisories.
Bagchi said India was "willing to look at any specific information, we have conveyed this to the Canadian side, made it clear to them...but so far, we have not received any such specific information".
Canada has discussed the issue with key allies such as the Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance, which includes the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand, with Washington, London and Canberra expressing concern.
Asked if any of these countries, with whom India also enjoys close ties, had raised the issue with New Delhi, Bagchi said: "We have been discussing with them, we have conveyed our position how we see these developments."
Bagchi also said Canada should be worried about damage to its reputation and not India, when asked about the risk posed by the row to New Delhi's global standing.
"If there is any country that needs to look at it, it is Canada, its growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, extremists and for organised crime," he said, adding that India had in vain sought action against more than 20 individuals.
THREAT TO TRADE TIES
Canada has the largest population of Sikhs outside the northern Indian state of Punjab, with about 770,000 people reporting Sikhism as their religion in the 2021 census.
A bloody Sikh insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s in Punjab killed tens of thousands of people before it was suppressed. The separatists wanted the creation of an independent Sikh state called Khalistan.
Although there is hardly any support for the insurgency left in India, small groups of Sikhs in Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States support the separatist demand and occasionally stage protests outside Indian embassies.
New Delhi, which remains wary of any revival of the insurgency, has long been unhappy over Sikh separatist activity in Canada.
Some Indian analysts say Ottawa does not curb Sikh protesters as they are a politically influential group.
The spat is also threatening trade ties, with talks on a proposed trade deal frozen last week.
Canada is India's 17th largest foreign investor, while Canadian portfolio investors have invested billions of dollars in Indian financial markets.
Since 2018, India has been the largest source country for international students in Canada, with their numbers rising 47% in 2022 to nearly 320,000.
Industry estimates show the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Canada and India could boost two-way trade by as much as $6.5 billion.
Canadians are honorary Englishmen. What do you expect?
Trudeau will show his pro-India bona-fides by persecuting more Christians in Canada.
“Canada, its growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, extremists and for organised crime”
aka the government of the country.
Narendra Modi better tread carefully if his supporters in India use violence on Canadians the Globalists who want Gandhi to win next year’s Indian election will pounce.
What I am saying is that Trudeau’s statements suggesting India’s government killed the Sikh in Canada may be designed to generate violence that will reflect badly on Modi.
Is Modi being led into a trap?
Things like January 6th in the US, January 9th in Brazil and May 9th in Pakistan remind us that Deep State intelligence agencies like to create traps to maintain power-change regimes etc. etc.
Canadians are honorary Englishmen. What do you expect?
I thought Trudeau’s socks were supposed to bring about world peace. That’s what the all the news stations stated.
Canadians choose their political leaders based on who they think will get them noticed by the rest of the world.
.
Canada was gone by 1968.
When you have “Trudeaumania” for the likes of Pierre la tapette, it shows your country is already over.
and Trudeau is bringing thousands of Indians to Canada
Trudeau is such an ......Can’t believe that anyone votes for him. He’s destroying Canada...
The US in solidarity with our northern ally should do likewise as stop admission of folks from India, cancel work permits and start sending them home.
OOPS Modi not happy - too bad.
Trudeau is such an ......Can’t believe that anyone votes for him.
Only the people in his Riding voted for him his party made him PM ,not a very smart party LOL
Hmmm, Trudeau does have experience with the Emergencies Act on Canadians.
“Canada, its growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, extremists and for organized crime”
India has been associated with sheltering organized crime elements, as evidenced by the presence of scam call centers operating openly in the country. I trust Canada before I trust India.
Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said... India was "willing to look at any specific information, we have conveyed this to the Canadian side, made it clear to them...but so far, we have not received any such specific information"... Bagchi also said Canada should be worried about damage to its reputation and not India... "If there is any country that needs to look at it, it is Canada, its growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, extremists and for organised crime," he said, adding that India had in vain sought action against more than 20 individuals.
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