Canada pulls diplomats, India suspends visas in escalating fight

Canada said it would reduce the number of diplomats in India due to security concerns, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government appeared to suspend visas for Canadians as a diplomatic row escalated over the murder of a Sikh activist.


Global Affairs Canada said some diplomats have received threats on social media platforms, part of an unfolding backlash in the South Asian country following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claims on Monday that Indian government agents assassinated a prominent Sikh leader on Canadian soil. New Delhi has called the allegations “absurd” and denied involvement in the June 19 shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was pushing for an independent Sikh homeland in India.


“In the light of the current environment where tensions have heightened, we are taking action to ensure the safety of our diplomats,” Global Affairs Canada said in a statement Thursday. “Out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to temporarily adjust staff presence in India.”