Canada expels six Indian diplomats over links to violent crime, official says

Canada has expelled six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, after police uncovered evidence of ongoing violent criminal activity linked to the Indian government, a senior Canadian government official said Monday.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. India had said earlier Monday that it was withdrawing its diplomats, after rejecting Canada’s notification that the Indian ambassador was a “person of interest” in an assassination in Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last year said there were credible allegations that the Indian government had links to the June 2023 assassination in Canada of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India has rejected the accusation as absurd.

In response to the allegations, India told Canada last year to remove 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country. Ever since, the relations between the two countries have been frosty.

Earlier Monday, India’s foreign ministry said in a statement that it was withdrawing its diplomats and also summoned the top Canadian diplomat in New Delhi and told him that “the baseless targeting” of the Indian high commissioner, or ambassador, and other diplomats and officials in Canada “was completely unacceptable.”

“We have no faith in the current Canadian government’s commitment to ensure their security,” it said.

The ministry said that India would withdraw its high commissioner and other diplomats and officials.

The Indian foreign ministry said Monday that “India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the Trudeau Government’s support for extremism, violence and separatism against India.”

India has retaliated by expelling six Canadian diplomats from that country, including the Acting High Commissioner, the Deputy High Commissioner, and four secretaries.