Canada asserted on Tuesday that it was important to keep diplomats in India after media reported that New Delhi had asked Ottawa to repatriate several dozen of its representatives amid a diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
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“There are certainly tensions between our governments, but in moments of tension the most important thing is to continue to have people on the ground,” Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly told the press.
According to the Financial Times, Canada has received an order from the Indian government to send back around forty diplomats by October 10.
Ms. Joly refused to confirm this information, saying the dialogue with New Delhi was being conducted “privately.”
“We are in discussions with the Indian government and will therefore continue to work to protect our diplomats,” she added.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also refused to confirm the impending departure of Canadian envoys, but called the situation “difficult.”
“We remain steadfast, we will not provoke, we will continue to be present on site,” he explained.
The Indian Foreign Ministry also declined to comment on the issue.
Indo-Canadian relations soured two weeks ago when Canada raised the Indian government’s possible involvement in the killing of a Sikh leader near Vancouver in June.
New Delhi called Ottawa’s allegations “absurd” and has since advised its nationals against traveling to certain Canadian regions and has “temporarily” stopped processing Indian visa applications from Canadian nationals.
According to Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a national security expert and former senior Canadian intelligence official, it is becoming increasingly urgent for Canada to provide “evidence” that could support its claims before the diplomatic crisis escalates further.