Canada moves diplomats from India to Singapore: Report

In response to a request from the Indian government to downsize its diplomatic staff, the Canadian government has removed the majority of its diplomats stationed in India.

The majority of Canadian diplomats stationed outside of Delhi have reportedly “been evacuated to either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore,” according to a report by Canada’s CTV News.

This action coincides with a diplomatic disagreement between the two nations over the murder of terrorist from the Khalistan region Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

According to report, India had earlier this week requested that Canada remove about 40 ambassadors by October 10.

The Indian government has also threatened to revoke the diplomatic immunity of any Canadian diplomats who continue to work there beyond the cutoff date, according to a news source. According to Arindam Bagchi, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of External Affairs, India has asked Canada to “bring parity” by reducing the number of diplomats each country has on duty.

“Given the much higher diplomatic presence in India and their continuing interference in our internal affairs, we had sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence,” Bagchi stated.

The number of Canadian diplomats who have migrated from India is not known at this time.

The private Canadian broadcaster’s report stated that “earlier reports pegged the number of diplomats that would have to leave at 41, but the sources CTV News spoke with said the ask is specific to one of parity.”

“At the same time, CTV News has learned a majority of the Canadian diplomats working in India outside of Delhi have been evacuated to either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore,” it stated.

Due to claims made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the “possible” participation of Indian operatives” in the execution of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, diplomatic ties between India and Canada have lately deteriorated. On June 18 in British Columbia, two masked gunmen shot and killed Nijjar, a Canadian.

However, India vehemently denied these accusations, calling them “absurd” and “motivated.” Delhi also dismissed a senior Canadian diplomat in retaliation to Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian envoy.

Arindam Bagchi, a spokesman for the External Affairs Ministry, stated that negotiations on the terms of establishing reciprocal diplomatic presence are ongoing in New Delhi and made it plain that India would not be changing its stance on the matter.

He claimed that because Canada has a far stronger diplomatic presence in India than India does in Canada, it is expected that there would be a decline. “Our focus is on ensuring parity in diplomatic strength,” he stated.

However, when questioned about rumors that Ottawa has been given till October 10 by New Delhi to cut back on the number of ambassadors stationed there, the spokeswoman chose not to comment.

“I would not like to get into the details of diplomatic conversation,” he responded.

It is learnt that the number of Canadian diplomats in India is around 60 and New Delhi wants Ottawa to reduce the strength by at least three dozen.

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