India, Canada Move to Restore Full Diplomatic Staffing After Strained Relations
NEW DELHI — India and Canada are working to restore diplomatic staffing levels in each other’s missions to their previous strength, signaling continued efforts to stabilize relations after months of tension.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney discussed the issue during bilateral talks in New Delhi on Monday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed.
Speaking at a media briefing after the meeting, P. Kumaran, Secretary (East) at the Ministry of External Affairs, said both sides have agreed in principle to progressively increase diplomatic personnel.
“There is broad agreement that we should be increasing diplomatic strength on both sides progressively to reach their levels in the past. We are already in the process of doing that. You would have seen that the High Commissioners have returned to their positions. We have a High Commissioner in our mission in Canada, and similarly, the Canadian mission is headed now by the High Commissioner,” Kumaran said.
“Let me tell you that the numbers are currently at levels better than what we had in 2023. We continue to take steps to take this to the next level in keeping with the expanded agenda and ambition, and we are taking this on a step-by-step basis,” he added.
Relations between New Delhi and Ottawa deteriorated sharply after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Parliament that there were “credible allegations” linking India to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
The dispute escalated when Canadian authorities identified India’s High Commissioner and other diplomats as “persons of interest” in the investigation into Nijjar’s death.
India strongly denied the allegations, calling them “absurd” and “motivated,” and accused Ottawa of allowing extremist and anti-India elements to operate freely within Canada.
In October 2024, India withdrew its High Commissioner and other “targeted diplomats and officials” from Canada, citing what it described as continued “hostility” from the Trudeau government.
“We have no faith in the current Canadian Government’s commitment to ensure their security. Therefore, the Government of India has decided to withdraw the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials. It was also conveyed that India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the Trudeau Government’s support for extremism, violence and separatism against India,” the Ministry of External Affairs said at the time, after summoning Canada’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi over what it described as the “baseless targetting” of Indian diplomats.
Since Carney assumed office as Canada’s prime minister, both governments have taken calibrated steps to ease tensions. As part of that process, India appointed Dinesh K. Patnaik as its High Commissioner to Canada, marking a renewed effort to normalize diplomatic engagement. (Source: IANS)
