India has reportedly resumed electronic visa services for Canadian nationals after a nearly two-month suspension. The suspension, initiated on September 21, was part of the ongoing diplomatic tension between the two countries. Canada had claimed that “agents of the Indian government” were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, in June.
All visa services, including tourist visas, have now been reinstated after the earlier resumption of services for certain types, such as business and medical visas, last month. In September, India had temporarily halted the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens, citing the need for further notice.
Diplomatic disputes between India and Canada escalated, leading to the expulsion of a senior diplomat from each country and India insisting on “parity” in the number of senior officials assigned to missions in both nations. Travel advisories were also exchanged, with India cautioning its citizens in Canada about “politically-condoned” hate crimes.
India has consistently denied the allegations of its involvement in Nijjar’s death, dismissing them as “absurd” and “motivated.” The Indian government has called on Canada to provide evidence to support its claims, reiterating this demand during a recent statement by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in the UK.
India-Canada relations have strained significantly since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asserted that his government had “credible allegations” linking Indian government “agents” to Nijjar’s killing. Talks between the two nations have been on hold since September, with Canada indicating a focus on the case, and its Trade Minister, Mary Ng, suggesting a continued pause in discussions.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was fatally shot in June outside a gurudwara in Vancouver, Canada. The Indian government had officially designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.
