India Recalls High Commissioner Amid Tensions with Canada Over Nijjar Killing Allegations: Report
The Indian government has made the decision to recall its High Commissioner from Canada following Ottawa’s allegations linking him and other Indian diplomats to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned the Canadian Charge d’Affaires, stating India’s concerns about the safety of its diplomats. “We have lost confidence in the current Canadian government’s ability to ensure their security,” the government said.
The Indian foreign ministry emphasized that the environment of extremism and violence in Canada, exacerbated by the Trudeau government’s actions, has compromised the safety of Indian diplomats. As a result, India has opted to withdraw its High Commissioner and other affected officials. Tensions between the two nations deepened after Canada announced it was investigating the Indian High Commissioner as a “person of interest” in Nijjar’s killing.
The Foreign Ministry also confirmed it had received a formal diplomatic note from Canada identifying the High Commissioner and other diplomats as subjects of an ongoing investigation. Dismissing the accusations, the ministry called the allegations against High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma “absurd.” The statement highlighted Verma’s extensive 36-year diplomatic career, during which he served as an Ambassador in Japan, Sudan, and other nations, and declared the charges “deserving of contempt.”
India further criticized the allegations as part of a broader political strategy by Canada to tarnish India’s image for domestic gains. It made clear that targeting Indian diplomats in Canada was unacceptable and warned of potential future actions if Ottawa continued to support extremism, violence, and separatist movements against India.
The MEA also pointed to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “hostile” stance toward India, referencing his controversial 2018 visit, which was widely seen as an effort to appeal to specific vote banks. The statement added that certain members of Trudeau’s Cabinet have openly supported extremist, pro-Khalistan elements.
India has long expressed concern over Canada allowing pro-Khalistan activists to operate freely on its soil, with no action taken against them. In response to these tensions, India recently imposed visa restrictions on Canadian citizens and pushed Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country.
