NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India ordered the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats on Monday and withdrew its personal envoy from Canada, in response to what it mentioned was Ottawa’s determination to call him and others as “individuals of curiosity” in an investigation.
India didn’t go into element on the investigation, however relations have been fraught since 2023, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned he had proof linking Indian brokers to the assassination of a Sikh separatist chief on his territory.
India has lengthy denied Trudeau’s accusation. On Monday it dismissed Canada’s transfer on the inquiry and accused Trudeau of pursuing a “political agenda”.
“We’ve no religion within the present Canadian Authorities’s dedication to make sure their safety. Subsequently, the Authorities of India has determined to withdraw the Excessive Commissioner and different focused diplomats and officers,” India’s overseas ministry mentioned in a press release.
It later mentioned it had requested the six Canadian diplomats to go away by Saturday.
It additionally mentioned it had summoned Canadian Cost d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler to protest.
Canada’s authorities has not publicly confirmed that it has named any Indian official as an individual of curiosity.
Wheeler on Monday reiterated Trudeau’s accusation, saying in a press release: “Canada has supplied credible, irrefutable proof of ties between brokers of the Authorities of India and the homicide of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil.
“Now, it’s time for India to reside as much as what it mentioned it could do and look into these allegations.”
India has repeatedly mentioned Canada has not shared any proof to again its declare.
“This newest step follows interactions which have once more witnessed assertions with none details. This leaves little doubt that on the pretext of an investigation, there’s a deliberate technique of smearing India for political beneficial properties,” India’s overseas ministry mentioned earlier on Monday.
Canada withdrew greater than 40 diplomats from India in October 2023 after New Delhi requested Ottawa to cut back its diplomatic presence.
In June, a committee of Canadian parliamentarians named India and China as the primary overseas threats to its democratic establishments, primarily based on enter from intelligence companies.
The U.S. has additionally alleged that Indian brokers have been concerned in an tried assassination plot of one other Sikh separatist chief in New York in 2023, and mentioned it had indicted an Indian nationwide working on the behest of an unnamed Indian authorities official.
India expressed concern after the U.S. raised the problem, dissociating itself from the plot, and has launched an investigation.
The accusations of assassination plots in opposition to Sikh separatist leaders in Canada and the U.S. have examined their relationship with India as they give the impression of being to forge deeper ties with the nation to counter China’s rising international affect.
