- Canada has evacuated the majority of its diplomats operating in India outside of New Delhi.
- The action was taken in response to India’s request for Canada to withdraw a number of its ambassadors.
- Most of the Canadian diplomats stationed outside of New Delhi have been relocated to Singapore.
After receiving a deadline of October 10 to reduce its diplomatic staff to meet parity in strength in response to a dispute over the assassination of terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canada has evacuated the majority of its diplomats operating in India outside of New Delhi to either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.
The action was taken in response to India’s request for Canada to withdraw a number of its ambassadors from its missions earlier this week. The request came amid an intensifying diplomatic spat that started after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian operatives were responsible for the murder of Khalistani terrorist Nijjar in June.
Canada relocates diplomats
In retaliation for Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian official over the matter, India rejected the accusations as “absurd” and “motivated” and removed a senior Canadian ambassador.
According to sources cited by CTV News, Ottawa has until October 10 to trim the number of Canadian diplomats serving in India to a level comparable to that of Indian diplomats serving in Canada.
Most of the Canadian diplomats stationed outside of New Delhi in India have been relocated to either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. The department in charge of overseeing Canada’s consular and diplomatic affairs, Global Affairs Canada, had earlier said that it was “assessing its staff complement in India” because “some diplomats have received threats on various social media platforms.”
