In the midst of ongoing diplomatic tensions, Canada unequivocally rebuffs India’s travel advisory to its citizens. On Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Dominic Leblanc affirmed Canada’s status as a secure nation, firmly rejecting India’s cautionary stance.
This development materialized mere hours after India issued an advisory aimed at its nationals and students residing in Canada. The advisory urgently implored them to exercise “utmost caution” in light of escalating anti-India activities, politically-endorsed hate crimes, and violence within Canada. The advisory explicitly referenced threats to “Indian diplomats and factions of the Indian community opposing the anti-India agenda” and counseled against travel to areas marred by such incidents.
This advisory from India was in direct response to Canada’s own advisory to its citizens within India, issued the previous day. The Canadian government had urged its nationals to exercise “a high degree of caution,” citing potential safety and security concerns, with a reminder that situations can evolve rapidly. They advised citizens residing in India to contemplate departing the country if circumstances permitted.
The diplomatic strife between these two nations commenced with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations that Canadian security agencies possessed “credible evidence” linking agents of the Indian government to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijaar in Surrey back in June.
India, in turn, vehemently refuted these allegations, deeming them “absurd” and “motivated.”
