Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that Indian visa applications would face a slowdown following Canada’s withdrawal of 41 diplomats from India amidst an ongoing India-Canada diplomatic standoff.
In a press statement, IRCC stated, “Following India’s intent to unilaterally remove immunities for all but 21 Canadian diplomats and dependents in Delhi by October 20, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is reducing its number of employees in India from 27 to 5. IRCC will continue to accept and process applications from India, but reduced staffing levels are expected to impact processing times.”
The statement further indicated that due to the reduced Canadian diplomatic staff in India, Indian citizens might experience delays in overall processing times, responses to inquiries, and obtaining visas or passport returns, as per a report in NDTV.
Canada’s Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of diplomatic immunity, stating, “They are a fundamental principle of diplomacy and this is a two-way street. They only work if every country abides by the rules. A unilateral revocation of diplomatic privilege and immunities is contrary to international law.”
The diplomatic standoff between India and Canada was triggered by India’s call for a reduction in Canadian diplomats in India to achieve ‘parity’ and due to concerns about Canadian interference in India’s internal matters. While discussions are ongoing on the modalities of achieving this reduction, India’s primary focus remains on achieving a balanced diplomatic presence.
This diplomatic tension was initially exacerbated when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government involvement in the fatal shooting of Hardeep Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India. India refuted these allegations, labelling them as ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated,’ and Canada has not provided public evidence to support the claims. Hardeep Singh Nijjar was fatally shot outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on June 18, 2023.
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