Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized the Indian government on Friday over its crackdown on diplomats.
Trudeau said that New Delhi's efforts were making life much more difficult for millions of people in both nations. The Canadian prime minister's remarks were made after a decision to remove 41 diplomats from India following a threat to revoke their immunity.
Canada-India Diplomatic Row
The Indian government is furious that Trudeau last month suggested that Indian agents may have been involved in the June murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada. In a statement, the Canadian prime minister said that the Indian government is contravening a very basic principle of diplomacy.
He added that the situation is something that has had him very concerned for the well-being and happiness of millions of Canadians who trace their origins to the Indian subcontinent. Trudeau also said that the expulsion of his country's diplomats would hamper travel and trade as well as pose difficulties for Indians who are studying in Canada, as per Inquirer.
There are roughly 2 million Canadians who have Indian heritage and India is by far the North American country's largest source of global students. Previously, the Indian Foreign Ministry rejected the idea that it had violated the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.
The ministry released a statement where it said that the state of their bilateral relations, the higher number of Canadian diplomats in India, and their continued interference in their internal affairs warrant a parity in mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa.
On Friday, the U.S. State Department expressed its support of Canada in the dispute over diplomats with India. The department's spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said that they have already urged the Indian government not to insist upon a reduction in Canada's diplomatic presence and to cooperate with the ongoing Canadian government investigation.
Threat to Diplomats' Immunity
Trudeau noted that the Indian government's crackdown on diplomats has a very real impact on the millions of people who travel back and forth between the two nations. These travels include for education, family reasons, weddings, businesses, and for the growing trade ties between the two countries, according to Anadolu Ajansi.
The Canadian diplomats in India had little choice but to get out of the South Asian country after the government's threat to their immunity. Trudeau's words against New Delhi were borne out by 24-hour lineups at the BLS International Office in the city of Brampton near Toronto.
The BLS office is a service provider for the Indian government and since New Delhi has stopped issuing visas for Canadians, people who want to go the the Asian nation need to apply for an Overseas Citizens of India card. This is something that was not previously required for such travel.
Government sources said that India has made it very clear that Canada's decision to cease operations in three consulates is unilateral and not related to the implementation of diplomatic parity. They added that there would be no impact due to the parity decision on Canadian diplomatic strength in their consulates in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Chandigarh, said the Times of India.
