India pushes back by expelling Canadian diplomat, citing interference concerns

Amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Canada, New Delhi on Tuesday, 19 September, expelled a senior Canadian diplomat based in India, who has been asked to leave within the next five days.

The High Commissioner of Canada to India (Cameron Mackay) received summons on Tuesday, 19 September, during which the Government of India conveyed its decision to expel a senior Canadian diplomat currently stationed in the country. The concerned diplomat has been officially instructed to depart from India within the next five days, a statement issued by the external affairs ministry said."The decision reflects Government of India’s growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities," the statement said. The decision came after Canada had earlier expelled a high ranking Indian diplomat.

These developments have occurred after Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, 18 October in an emergency statement in Parliament accused the Government of India of involvement in the fatal shooting of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Trudeau had said that the Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between Indian government agents and the murder of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June.

India has rejected claims by the Canadian government that it had an involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Terming them as "absurd and motivated", the external affairs ministry in a statement said, "We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister. Allegations of Government of India's involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated."