Canada said on Thursday it was forced to repatriate 41 diplomats stationed in India after New Delhi threatened to lift their diplomatic immunity amid a crisis between the two countries. “We have taken the decision to organize the departure of these 41 diplomats and their families in complete safety.” Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said, adding that there were 21 Canadian diplomats still in India. “This is an unprecedented situation” She added.

However, she clarified that Canada has no intention of lifting the immunity of Indian diplomats in response to prevent this from happening “Making the situation worse”. “If we accept this course of action, no diplomat or diplomat on the planet will be safe. For this reason, Canada will not take the same approach as India.She added.

Increased tensions

Indo-Canadian relations were marked by mutual expulsions of diplomats in late September and deteriorated when Canada raised the Indian government’s possible involvement in the June killing of a Sikh leader near Vancouver. Characterizing Ottawa’s allegations as“absurd”New Delhi has since advised its nationals against traveling to certain Canadian regions and stopped doing so “temporary” to process Indian visa applications from Canadian citizens.

India has often complained about the activities of the Sikh diaspora abroad, particularly in Canada, which New Delhi says could revive the separatist movement thanks to massive financial aid. Canada is the country with the largest number of Sikhs outside India. The Indian state of Punjab, which is about 58% Sikh and 39% Hindu, was rocked by a violent Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s and early 1990s that claimed thousands of lives.