India has told Canada to remove 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country, ramping up a confrontation between the two countries over Canadian accusations that India may have been involved in the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in suburban Vancouver.
An official familiar with the matter confirmed details on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment, but ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had previously called for a reduction in Canadian diplomats in India, saying they outnumbered India’s staffing in Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month that there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a 45-year-old Sikh leader who was killed by masked gunmen in June in Surrey, outside Vancouver.
For years, India said Mr Nijjar, a Canadian citizen born in India, had links to terrorism — an allegation Mr Nijjar denied.
Arranging the killing of a Canadian citizen in Canada, home to nearly 2 million people of Indian descent, would be unprecedented.
Mr Trudeau did not confirm the number of diplomats that had been told to leave but suggested Canada would not retaliate.
“Obviously, we are going through an extremely challenging time with India right now, but that’s why it is so important for us to have diplomats on the ground working with the Indian government and there to support Canadians and Canadian families,” Mr Trudeau said.
“We’re taking this extremely seriously, but we’re going to continue to engage responsibly and constructively with the Indian government.”
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said she was in contact with the Indian government.
(ABC)
