Canada on Friday said it was temporarily suspending in-person operations at consulates in several Indian cities and warned of visa processing delays amid a diplomatic dispute over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia.
The announcements affecting consulates in Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Mumbai came hours after Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Canada has withdrawn 41 diplomats from India.
Separately, Indian government sources said New Delhi is not planning to impose any measures to curb imports or investments from Canada despite the dispute.
New Delhi last month asked Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited what he said was credible evidence of a potential link between Indian agents and the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India denies any connection to the shooting outside a Sikh temple in June.
“The Consulates General of Canada in Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Mumbai are temporarily suspending in-person operations,” said a statement from the Canadian High Commission, or embassy, in New Delhi, adding that services remain normal in the capital.—Agencies
