Canada has expressed its approval of India's decision to recommence some visa services for Canadian citizens, considering it a positive development during a period of diplomatic tension triggered by the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India's High Commission in Canada revealed its intention to restart the processing of certain visa applications for Canadians applying both domestically and internationally.
This decision followed a month-long suspension of services in Canada and for Canadian citizens globally, a move made as a result of escalated tensions between the two nations. The escalation was triggered by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations regarding the potential involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Najjar in British Columbia on June 18. It's worth noting that India had previously designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020 and had dismissed Trudeau's allegations as "absurd" and "motivated."
Reacting to India's decision, Immigration Minister Marc Miller regarded it as a positive signal after a stressful period for many Canadians. He expressed the view that the suspension of visa services should never have occurred in the first place. The diplomatic situation with India has caused considerable anxiety within various communities.
Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan, a Sikh himself, acknowledged the importance of the resumption of visa processing while refraining from speculating about the message India intended to convey. He emphasized the significance of allowing Indians and Canadians to travel between the two countries for events like weddings and funerals. Additionally, he noted that Canada is still seeking India's assistance in the ongoing investigation of Nijjar's killing.
India is set to reinstate services for various types of visas, including entry visas, business visas, medical visas, and conference visas.
Marilyne Guevremont, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the department responsible for diplomatic and consular relations, confirmed that GAC is aware of India's decision to resume certain categories of visa processing for Canadians. She highlighted the importance of people-to-people connections between Canada and India and stated that the resumption of visa services would facilitate travel for families and businesses between the two countries.
In response to the development, the Canada-India Business Council viewed it as a promising development for trade relations. The council's head, Victor Thomas, also remarked that it's a positive sign of mutual support for bilateral business and investments.
This development occurred shortly after Canada withdrew 41 diplomats from India. Before the escalation of tensions between Canada and India, New Delhi had publicly criticized protests by Sikh separatist groups outside its diplomatic missions in Canada, as well as posters that seemed to offer cash rewards in exchange for the home addresses of Indian diplomats. India formally called on Canada to improve its protection of foreign diplomats and requested that Canada take strong action against terrorists and anti-India elements operating from its soil, which led to the suspension of visa services for Canadians.
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