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New Delhi: India has reinstated electronic visa services for Canadian nationals following a two-month suspension, sources told on Wednesday. Visa services had been suspended on September 21 amid the ongoing diplomatic row over Canada’s claims that “agents of the Indian government” were involved in the June killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, in that country. India has consistently rejected these accusations and has urged Canada to present evidence substantiating them.
This means that all visa services have now resumed, including tourist visas. Services for four, including business and medical visas, had resumed last month.
In September, India had suspended issue of visas to Canadian citizens “till further notice” in a retaliation after both countries had expelled senior diplomats and asked them to leave the place as soon as possible.
The Indian government has vehemently denied the claims made by Canada, insisting on no involvement in the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Indian authorities had earlier suspended e-Visa services for Canadian citizens as they were perceived as supporting and harboring Khalistani terrorists on Canadian soil. The resumption of e-Visa services comes with immediate effect, amid ongoing diplomatic tensions.
The suspension and subsequent resumption of e-Visa services can be considered as a diplomatic tool employed by India in this dispute. The move to restart the service could be a sign of a possible thaw in relations or possibly a strategic maneuver by India. However, the full implications of this action remain to be seen.
With the resumption of e-Visa services, all eyes are now on Canada’s next move. Will Ottawa provide the evidence that India has requested? Or will it stick to their allegations? The international community is awaiting further information and the situation could have a potential impact on diplomatic relations between India and Canada.
45-Year-old Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in June outside a gurudwara in Canada’s Vancouver. The Indian government had formally designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.
