Canada says will adjust staff presence in India amid threats

Amid the heightened diplomatic tensions, Canada on Thursday clarified that its High Commission and Consulates in India would continue to be open and operational. However, to "ensure the safety of its diplomats", the Canadian government has announced it will be "temporarily" adjusting its staff presence in the country, it said.

"With some diplomats having received threats on various social media platforms, Global Affairs Canada is assessing its staff complement in India," the Canadian High Commission said.

"As a result, and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to temporarily adjust staff presence in India. All of our locations are staffed by diplomats and locally-engaged staff to ensure business and operational continuity," the statement read.


Citing the Vienna Convention, the High Commission further called on India to "provide for the security of our accredited diplomats and consular officers in India, just as we are for theirs here."

The Canadian mission, however, could not substantiate the threats.

The India-Canada diplomatic relationship has nosedived ever since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the floor of Parliament alleged the involvement of the Indian government in the killing of Khalistan separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Later on Tuesday, India expelled a senior Canadian diplomat - an action similar to what Canada had done on Monday.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs had issued a travel advisory for all Indian nationals in Canada and said that all those looking to travel there must "exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant" "in view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence" in that country.