Speaking at the Kautilya Economic Conclave, India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, explained the reasons behind India’s decision to stop issuing visas to Canadians. He expressed concerns about the safety of Indian diplomats in Canada and cited Canada’s failure to fulfill its obligations under the Vienna Convention. Jaishankar emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and security of diplomats, which has been challenged in Canada. However, he expressed hope for the situation to improve and for visa services to resume soon. Jaishankar clarified that India’s problems were with a specific segment of Canadian politics and their policies, mentioning their reluctance to act against Khalistani separatists. He highlighted that Canada’s allegations against India regarding Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar were baseless and that India had asked Canada to downsize its high commission in New Delhi due to interference in India’s internal affairs. Jaishankar reassured that more information about this interference would be revealed in the future. He also mentioned India’s concerns about Canadian personnel continuously interfering in Indian affairs and asserted that parity in diplomatic representation was provided for by the Vienna Convention. India had sought parity only in the respective high commissions in New Delhi and Ottawa, and the closure of consulates in Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Bengaluru was viewed as a unilateral decision by Canada. India is hoping that Canada will review this decision. The article also highlights the deep people-to-people ties between the two countries, including the large Indian diaspora in Canada and Canada’s popularity as a destination for Indian students.
More will come out on Canadian interference, says EAM
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