Canada has asked for private talks with India in a bid to diffuse tensions between the two countries, sparked by the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, which has now seen New Delhi tell Ottawa to withdraw 41 diplomats from the country.
Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Tuesday that Ottawa wanted to resolve the row and was ready to “engage privately” with India.
“We are in contact with the government of India,” Joly confirmed. “We take Canadian diplomats’ safety very seriously and … we think diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private.”
India has told Canada that it must repatriate the diplomats by October 10, according to the Financial Times, or it will withdraw their diplomatic protections. Canada has 62 diplomats in India.
Also on AF: India’s Reliance Reveals Swappable Batteries for EVs, Appliances
Ties between the two countries have become seriously strained over Canadian suspicion that Indian government agents were linked to the June murder in Canada of a Sikh separatist leader and Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who India had labelled a “terrorist”. India has dismissed the allegation as absurd.
India suspended new visas for Canadians on Sept 22 and asked Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country. Trudeau said Ottawa was not looking to escalate the dispute.
“We’re taking this extremely seriously, but we’re going to continue to engage responsibly and constructively within with the government of India,” he told reporters separately.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said earlier there was a “climate of violence” and an “atmosphere of intimidation” against Indian diplomats in Canada, where the presence of Sikh separatist groups has frustrated New Delhi.
- Reuters with additional editing by Sean O’Meara
Read more:
Canada Told to Remove 41 Diplomats From India: FT
Indian Hackers Target Canada’s Government Websites – CTV
Billions at Stake as India-Canada Ties Sour on Sikh Murder
Canada Accuses China Over Online Campaign Targeted at Lawmaker
