No large-scale withdrawal of Canadian diplomats from India despite ultimatum from New Delhi

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Canada has not withdrawn any diplomats from India since New Delhi reportedly ordered Ottawa to scale back its missions in the South Asian country, a senior government source says.

The Financial Times first reported Oct. 3 that the Indian government had told Ottawa to remove dozens of diplomats from its missions across India. The crisis in relations between the two countries was sparked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accusation that New Delhi was behind the murder of a Canadian citizen.

The Times reported that India had asked Canada to repatriate about 41 diplomats by Oct. 10 and that New Delhi had threatened to revoke the diplomatic immunity of those who remain after that deadline.

But a senior federal government official said Wednesday that Ottawa has not drawn down its diplomatic footprint in India except for adjustments at the start of the discord with New Delhi.

Another source with direct knowledge of the matter said India has shown “flexibility” as behind-the-scenes negotiations continue in an effort to dampen bilateral tensions. The Globe and Mail is not identifying the two sources because they were not authorized to discuss Indo-Canada diplomatic talks.

“It is a good sign if our diplomats are not out yet. If the Indians are reconsidering their position, that is welcome news but only time will tell if that is the case or not,” said Vincent Rigby, a former national security adviser to Mr. Trudeau.

On Sept. 18, Mr. Trudeau told the House of Commons that Canada had intelligence that “agents of the Indian government” were responsible for the gangland-style killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent advocate of a separate homeland for Sikhs in the Indian state of Punjab. He was gunned down in Surrey, B.C., in June.

After the Prime Minister’s stunning announcement, Ottawa immediately expelled an Indian diplomat and senior intelligence officer and New Delhi responded in kind. India also suspended visa services for Canadians, including e-visas and visas issued in third countries. Earlier, Ottawa had suspended free-trade talks and a Canadian business mission to India.

On Sept. 21, the Department of Global Affairs announced that it was reducing staff levels at its diplomatic missions in India, citing a fear for the safety of its employees as some India media whipped up hysteria against Canada.

The senior government official told The Globe Wednesday that these withdrawals are the only staff changes that have been made in India.

Ottawa has declined to divulge how many Canadian diplomats operate in India, where it has missions in locations including New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Mumbai, and four trade offices in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. A 2020 audit of Canada’s High Commission, or embassy, in New Delhi says at the time that there were 61 Canadian staff working there.

On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly declined to discuss the matter with reporters. “Diplomacy is always better when conversations remain private. And that’s the approach I will continue to take when it comes to India,” she told reporters.

Last week, the Prime Minister noted that while bilateral relations are “extremely challenging,” he emphasized the importance of Ottawa having “diplomats on the ground working with the Indian government.”

India has more than 60 accredited diplomats in Canada, including three who are designated as non-residents, according to a list maintained by Ottawa’s Department of Global Affairs.

The Trudeau government and many of its Western allies, including the United States, have urged India to co-operate with Canada in helping to arrest the people responsible for the death of Mr. Nijjar.

Intelligence from a Five Eyes ally – an alliance composed of the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – makes up part of the evidence that shows the possible involvement of Indian agents in the killing.

The Prime Minister has not said whether it will release classified intelligence to buttress the government’s allegations that agents of India were behind the killing of Mr. Nijjar.

Britain, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates publicly released intelligence, including video evidence, when they alleged that agents of Russia, Saudi Arabia and Israel, respectively, carried out state-sanctioned killings in those countries.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has said he was provided with a classified intelligence briefing that points to the Indian government’s role in the death of Mr. Nijjar.