Canada hails India's decision to resume some visa services
The decision came a month after New Delhi suspended the services in Canada and for Canadian citizens worldwide as tensions flared between the two countries
Canada has welcomed India's move to resume some visa services from Thursday (October 26), saying it was a "good sign" after "an anxious time" for many Canadians following a diplomatic row over a Sikh separatist’s killing.
India's high commission in Ottawa said on Wednesday (October 25) that its officials would resume processing some types of visa applications for Canadians applying from across the country as well as abroad.
India will resume services for entry visas, business visas, medical visas and conference visas.
The decision came a month after New Delhi suspended the services in Canada and for Canadian citizens worldwide as tensions flared between the two countries.
The row erupted last month after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in British Columbia.
India, which had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020, rejected Trudeau’s allegations as “absurd”.
Positive turn
Canadian immigration minister Marc Miller called India's decision "a good sign" after "an anxious time" for many Canadians.
"Our feeling is that a suspension should never have happened in the first place," CTV News quoted him as saying.
Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan, a Sikh, said the resumption of visa processing was good news but wouldn't speculate on what message New Delhi was trying to send.
"It's good to see that they have resumed that. It would have been nice (if) they didn't stop it in the first place," Sajjan told the media.
He said it was important that Indians and Canadians can go back and forth when it comes to events like weddings and funerals.
He added that Ottawa was still seeking India's help as police investigate Nijjar’s killing.
Boosting ties
Marilyne Guevremont, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, which manages the diplomatic and consular relations, told CBC News: "Canada and India share important people-to-people ties and India's resumption of visa services will make it easier for families and businesses to travel between our countries."
The Canada-India Business Council called it "a promising development" for trade relations.
The development came days after Canada pulled out 41 of its diplomats from India.
New Delhi had earlier publicly denounced protests by Sikh separatists outside its diplomatic missions in Canada as well as posters that offered cash rewards in exchange for the home addresses of Indian diplomats.
India formally called on Canada to better uphold its duty to protect foreign diplomats.
(With agency inputs)
