Canada moves diplomats out of India to Singapore, Malaysia: report

Canada has moved some of its diplomats from India to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in response to India's call for "parity" in diplomatic staff. India and Canada have been in an unprecedented crisis over the June 18 murder of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has implemented a visa ban for Canadian citizens, while Canada has maintained that it is in talks with India to ensure diplomatic presence in Delhi. The situation has been described as an "extremely challenging time" for the two countries.

Canada has shifted a number of its diplomats stationed at missions in India outside of New Delhi to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, CTV news of Canada has reported citing sources.

The report came a day after External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi informed that the two sides were in conversation to ensure “parity” in the presence of diplomatic staff in each other’s missions. 

The Ministry is yet to comment on the report and the High Commission of Canada said it had “no comment” to offer. During the weekly press briefing held on Thursday, Mr. Bagchi did not confirm if India wanted evacuation of 41 Canadian diplomats as was reported by the Financial Times on October 3 but reiterated that Canada maintained “much higher” diplomatic presence in India. He said: “I would assume there would be a reduction.” 

Citing Canadian sources, CTV news reported on Friday that the issue was not about removing 41 diplomats but to address India’s call for “parity” in diplomatic staff. Movement of foreign diplomats from India to neighbouring countries is a rare development indicating nosediving relation between Ottawa and New Delhi. 

For more than a fortnight, India-Canada relation has been caught in an unprecedented crisis over the June 18 murder of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The matter took a dramatic turn when Prime Minister Trudeau took it up in the Canadian parliament and blamed Indian agents for being behind the murder. 

Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomats immediately after Mr. Trudeau made the statement in the House of Commons on September 18. India described the charge as “absurd” and hit back by expelling a senior Canadian diplomat from the Canadian High Commission here. Further, India also implemented a visa ban for Canadian citizens which, however, exempted owners of valid Indian visas and PIO-card holders. 

The Financial Times report, however, indicated an escalation in the crisis which came more or less simultaneously with a slew of comments by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who in his public comments in the U.S. referred to Canada giving space to extremists.