Visas to diplomatic presence, MEA press briefing summarised in four points

Regarding the ongoing tensions between India and Canada, the Ministry of External Affairs reaffirmed on Thursday, September 21, that Canada continues to harbour terrorist safe havens, fostering funding and supporting terrorists on its soil.

This follows a series of contentious actions, denials, cautions, expulsions, threats, visa suspensions, and even killings, which transpired after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in Surrey.

Indian visas for Canadians

• MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi highlighted that Indian High Commissions and Consulates in Canada were facing security threats.
• This had led to the suspension of visa services due to the "security situation," as the issuance of visas requires public entry into Indian establishments.
• Bagchi also clarified that the situation would be regularly reviewed and emphasized that individuals with valid visas or Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards could still travel to India.
• The government attributed the suspension of visa services to the incitement of violence, inaction by Canadian authorities, and the creation of an environment disrupting consulate operations.

• Bagchi also made it clear that the same rules applied to the issuance of e-visas across all categories.

• Additionally, he mentioned that Canadians entering India via a third country would not be allowed as it would expose Indian officials to the same threats.

Diplomatic presence

• In an attempt to achieve parity in diplomatic presence, the spokesperson announced a reduction in the number of Canadian diplomats in India, given their already high representation.

• The MEA communicated to Canada that there should be "parity in strength and rank equivalence" in India compared to Indian diplomats in Canada.
• Bagchi added that the government expected a reduction in the number of Canadian diplomats in India in response to this request.

Concerns over reputation

• The spokesperson expressed concerns about Canada's reputation as a "safe haven for terrorists and extremists."
• He stated, "If you're talking about reputational issues and reputational damage, if there's any country that needs to look at this, I think it is Canada and its growing reputation as a place, as a safe haven for terrorists, for extremists, and for organized crime."

'Allegations politically driven'

• He also added, "I do think there is a degree of prejudice here. They have made allegations and taken action against them. To us, it seems that these allegations by the government of Canada are primarily politically driven."