India resumes e-visa services to Canadian nationals: Report
India has resumed e-visa services for Canadian nationals after temporarily suspending them in September for operational reasons.
India resumed e-visa services to Canadian nationals on Wednesday, ANI reported citing sources.
ANI reported that in September, the Indian Mission in Canada temporarily halted visa services until further notice due to operational reasons, as noted by BLS International.
BLS International Services Limited, an Indian outsourcing service provider, oversees government and diplomatic missions globally. The company specializes in managing services such as visa processing, passport services, consular assistance, document attestation, and citizen services.
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“Important notice from Indian Mission: Due to operational reasons, with effect from September 21, 2023, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice. Please keep checking the BLS website for further updates,” the BLS website said.
In October, India opted to recommence visa services in Canada for four specific categories following a thorough assessment of the security situation, taking into consideration recent measures implemented by Canada.
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The categories include entry visa, business visa, medical visa, and conference visa, and the resumption of services was effective from October 26.
Following the development, Canada welcomed India's decision to partially resume visa services calling it a “good sign” and stating that the suspension should “never have happened in the first place”.
Significantly, in the midst of a diplomatic dispute with Canada, India suspended its visa services in September, citing an indefinite hiatus. This move followed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's accusation of the involvement of "agents of the Indian government" in the June killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, identified as a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara in a parking area in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on June 18.
During a parliamentary debate in Canada, Trudeau asserted that national security officials in his country had grounds to believe that “agents of the Indian government” carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who also served as the president of Surrey's Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.
However, India had rejected the allegations as “absurd and motivated” and expelled a Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move over Canada's decision.
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"We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as well as the statement by their Foreign Minister. Allegations of the government of India's involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated," the statement said.
Meanwhile, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to lead the G20 virtual summit today, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has confirmed his participation in the event.
This marks Trudeau's inaugural virtual engagement with Modi amidst the recent strain in the relationship between the two countries.
(With inputs from ANI)