India halts visa services in Canada as tensions escalate 

New Delhi: In a development intensifying the existing strains in India-Canada relations, India has halted visa services in Canada. The third-party India visa facilitator, BLS International in Canada, has announced a suspension of all operations, effective immediately and until further notice. This decision effectively halts the acceptance of visa applications from Canadian citizens seeking to visit India.

The recent escalation of tensions can be traced back to remarks made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, alleging an Indian connection to the killing of the ‘most wanted’ Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In response, the Indian government dismissed these claims as “absurd and politically motivated.”

Amid this high-profile geopolitical tension, another Khalistani terrorist, Sukhdool Sukha Duneke, was fatally shot in Canada on September 20, coinciding with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) tightening its grip on Khalistani sympathizers.

The NIA has taken an unprecedented step by releasing images of 43 wanted Khalistani sympathizers, offering cash rewards for information leading to their apprehension. This move aims to encourage the public to assist law enforcement authorities.

As a consequence of these developments, both India and Canada have suspended diplomatic engagements with each other. Furthermore, India’s Ministry of External Affairs has issued an advisory, urging Indian citizens to refrain from traveling to Canada at this time.

Additionally, it has cautioned Indian residents and college students in Canada to exercise caution due to the increasing ‘anti-Indian’ sentiments within the country.

The diplomatic relations between the two nations have hit an all-time low, with concerns arising over Prime Minister Trudeau’s handling of foreign affairs.