India Issues Advisory For Its Nationals In Canada Over 'Anti-India Activities', Urges 'Extreme Caution'

India-Canada Diplomatic Row: India has issued an advisory for its nationals and students in Canada and urged utmost caution.

India has issued an advisory for its nationals and students in Canada and urged utmost caution.

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India-Canada Diplomatic Row: The Narendra Modi government has issued an advisory for Indian nationals living in Canada over "anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence". Urging "extreme caution", the Ministry of External Affairs said Indian nationals should avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen such incidents. The "Advisory for Indian Nationals and Indian Students in Canada" comes amid the ongoing diplomatic row between the two countries after the comment of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linking "agents" of the Indian government to the killing of separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Khalistan sympathiser.

The statement cited the recent threats particularly targeting Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the "anti-India agenda".

The statement said, "Our High Commission/Consulates General will continue to be in contact with Canadian authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Canada."

It said given the deteriorating security environment in Canada, "Indian students in particular are advised to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant."

The statement further read: Indian nationals and students from India in Canada must also register with the High Commission of India in Ottawa or Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver through their respective websites, or the MADAD portal madad.gov.in. Registration would enable the High Commission and the Consulates General to better connect with Indian Citizens in Canada in the event of any emergency or untoward incident."

A similar advisory was issued last year in September.

On Tuesday, Canada issued a travel advisory warning its citizens to "avoid all travel to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir due to the unpredictable security situation." The advisory cited the presence of a "threat of terrorism, militancy, civil unrest, and kidnapping" in the region and explicitly excluded travel to or within the Union Territory of Ladakh. 

Intentions Not To Provoke Or Escalate: Trudeau

In another statement on Tuesday, Trudeau urged India to take the matter "with the utmost seriousness," asserting that the intentions of his government were not to provoke or escalate but to present the facts. The remarks come after New Delhi denied involvement in Nijjar's murder.

"The government of India needs to take this matter with the utmost seriousness. We are doing that, we are not looking to provoke or escalate, we are simply laying out the facts as we understand them and we want to work with the government of India to lay everything clear," he said when asked about Ottawa dismissing a senior Indian diplomat.

He added, "It is extremely serious, and it has far-reaching consequences in international law. We're going to remain calm. We are going to remain grounded in our democratic principles and values. We are going to follow the evidence and make sure, the work is done to a whole people."