Canada has withdrawn 41 of its diplomats from India after New Delhi "threatened to strip them of their diplomatic immunity". Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Jolyaddressing a press conference in Ottawa, on Thursday, October 19, said that India had formally conveyed its plan to remove diplomatic immunities for Canadian diplomats by October 20. The fresh development comes amid strained ties between Canada and India after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in mid-September accused Indian government agents of being behind the assassination of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.
"I can confirm that India has formally conveyed its plan to unilaterally remove diplomatic immunities for all but 21 Canadian diplomats and dependents in Delhi by tomorrow, October 20. India's decision to declare persona non grata is unreasonable. But we will not retaliate," Joly said while responding to a media query on whether Canada will retaliate by requiring India to reduce its diplomatic headcount in Canada, Xinhua news agency reported.
Joly, who spoke alongside Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller, said that only 21 Canadian diplomats would be stationed in India from now onwards. "The safety of Canadians and of our diplomats is always my top concern. Given the implications of India's actions on the safety of our diplomats, we have facilitated their safe departure from India. This means that our diplomats and their families have now left," Joly said.
She accused India of unilaterally revoking diplomatic privileges and immunities by going against international law. "It is a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. And threatening to do so is unreasonable and escalatory," she said. Joly also announced that India's move to declare 41 diplomats as persona non grata will impact the level of service delivery Canada will be able to provide in that country. "We are going to pause all in-person services at our consulates in Chandigarh, Mumbai and Bangalore," the Canadian Foreign Minister added.
Shortly after Trudeau's remarks in September, the Canadian government announced the dismissal of a senior Indian diplomat in Canada, for his alleged involvement in the killing of Nijjar in the Canadian Province of British Columbia in June. In response, India's External Affairs Ministry rejected the Canadian claims, expelling Olivier Sylvestere, a senior Canadian diplomat based in New Delhi. Both countries subsequently issued travel advisories urging their citizens to "exercise utmost caution" while travelling to some regions in the other country. Furthermore, India's visa processing centre in Canada suspended services.