Canadian Diplomats Still In India, Foreign Minister Joly Holds 'Secret Meeting' With Jaishankar: Report

India gave a deadline of October 10 for Canada to withdraw its diplomats from India following the diplomatic row over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Canadian diplomats continue to stay in India as deadline for their withdrawal passes

Several Canadian diplomats continued their stay in India even after the deadline issued by New Delhi for them to leave had passed. Last month, India told Canada to withdraw 41 of its 60 diplomats stationed in the country by October 10 in the wake of the diplomatic row over the killing of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, said a report by the Financial Times. 

The report stated that Ottawa was trying to resolve the situation with New Delhi, which had warned that the Canadian officials could lose their diplomatic impunity if they continued their stay beyond the deadline. 

A Canadian official said that Ottawa has not withdrawn any diplomats ahead of the deadline, the report stated. 

The development comes a week after Trudeau and Canada’s Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said that Ottawa was trying to resolve the stand-off in private. 

As per the report, Joly and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a “secret meeting” during the latter’s visit to Washington last month. 

Tensions between the countries underscored the "importance of having a strong diplomatic footprint in India,” Joly said. 

A diplomatic row erupted last month after Canadian Prime Minister Justine Trudeau alleged India’s participation in the killing of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Nijjar was shot down outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18 this year. 

India vehemently rejected the allegations as “absurd and motivated.”

“Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern,” Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on September 19. 

The issue was also raised by the United States which urged India to cooperate with the investigations. 

Following Trudaeu’s allegation, India and Canada expelled each of their one diplomat and New Delhi stopped issuing visas to Canadians.