New Delhi recalls Ambassador in Ottawa, both sides expel diplomats, why?

Relations between India and Canada are in serious disarray as the two countries retaliate against each other by expelling diplomats and making accusations against one another.

Relations between India and Canada have been severely strained since the murder of a Canadian citizen in 2023. (Source: Business-standard)

India recalls ambassador to Canada

On October 14, AFP reported that New Delhi announced it would recall its ambassador to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, as Ottawa is investigating Verma and other Indian diplomats for suspected involvement in the 2023 murder of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated: "We no longer have confidence in the current Canadian government's commitment to ensuring the security of our diplomats. Therefore, the Indian government has decided to recall the High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials under investigation."

The ministry asserted that Ambassador Sanjay Kumar Verma, former Ambassador to Japan and Sudan, is a respected professional diplomat and that the accusations against him are "ridiculous and despicable."

Also on October 14, India expelled six top Canadian diplomats, including Ottawa’s acting high commissioner Stewart Wheeler, immediately following the move. These diplomats were asked to leave India by or before 11:59 p.m. on October 19 (local time).

Canada expels Indian diplomats.

On October 14, Reuters , citing a government source, revealed that Canada had expelled six Indian diplomats and ordered them to leave the North American country by 11:59 p.m. on October 19 (local time).

According to reports, the expulsions followed investigations by the Royal Canadian Police (RCMP) that revealed Indian diplomatic and consular officials stationed in Canada had abused their official positions to engage in "shady activities" orchestrated by agents of the Indian government.

The RCMT added that the Indian government collected information through its officials in the country and this information was then used by them to target members of the South Asian community here.

Global News quoted Canada's Chargé d'affaires ad interim to India, Stewart Wheeler, as saying that Ottawa had provided New Delhi with credible and irrefutable evidence linking Indian government agents to the murder of a Canadian citizen last year.

According to this report, now is the time for India to do what it has said and consider those allegations. However, New Delhi has repeatedly stated that Canada has not shared any evidence to substantiate its claims.

Why?

Diplomatic tensions between India and Canada began with a statement by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Parliament in September 2023.

At the time, Mr. Trudeau said there were "credible allegations" linking Indian agents to the June 2023 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an Indian-Canadian citizen and leader of the Sikh separatist movement in Canada, Khakistan. This person is considered a terrorist by India.

This incident severely strained diplomatic relations between Ottawa and New Delhi. India called the accusations “absurd and motivated.” Since then, the two countries have exchanged numerous rhetorics and retaliatory actions.

On October 13, India continued to call the allegations of its involvement in the murder a "political smear strategy against New Delhi."

Last year, India temporarily restricted visas for Canadian citizens and forced Ottawa to withdraw diplomats, while this time, New Delhi has threatened further action.

India's recall of its ambassador to Canada is a major escalation in the already strained relationship between the two countries. Following the incident, Prime Minister Trudeau on October 14 called New Delhi's action a "fundamental mistake" and "unacceptable."

For its part, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement clarifying that the country "reserves the right to take further steps in response to Ottawa's latest attempts to fabricate allegations against our diplomats."

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/quan-he-an-do-canada-ran-nut-nghiem-trong-new-delhi-trieu-hoi-dai-su-o-ottawa-hai-ben-truc-xuat-nha-ngoai-giao-vi-dau-nen-noi-290135.html