India indefinitely suspends visa services for Canadians amid heightened tensions

India has indefinitely suspended visa services for Canadian nationals as tensions between the two countries escalated following Justin Trudeau’s allegation on India’s link in Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing. “Operational reasons” have been cited for suspension of visa services for Canadians “till further notice”. BLS International, a visa application centres in Canada, posted a message on its Canadian website, saying: “Important notice from Indian Mission: Due to operational reasons, with effect from 21 September 2023, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice. Please keep checking BLS website for further updates,” read a notification on the official website of ‘India Visa Application Center Canada’.

More details can be checked here: https://www.blsindia-canada.com/ The decision came even as Canada said it has decided “to temporarily adjust staff presence in India” out of an “abundance of caution” to ensure the safety of diplomats following threats received on social media. The suspension followed advisory from India on Wednesday in which the Ministry of External Affairs asked Indians in Canada to exercise utmost caution due to growing anti-India activities and “politically-condoned hate crimes”. Also, the government particularly advised Indian students to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant. Tensions between India and Canada escalated earlier this week when Canadian PM Justin Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in Khalistani terrorist Nijjar’s killing in June. On Monday, Trudeau said his government was investigating “credible allegations" that Indian government agents were linked to the 18 June slaying, when Nijjar was gunned down outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia. The Canadian PM remark heightened the tensions and triggered a diplomatic row, and tit-for-tat expulsions of senior diplomats over the week. Nijjar was gunned down in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara that he headed in the town of Surrey in the province of British Columbia. He was the principal figure of the secessionist outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in the province. SFJ has blamed India for the assassination. With inputs from agencies