India has temporarily halted the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens until further notice, citing “operational reasons.” This move coincides with an ongoing dispute between India and Canada regarding Ottawa’s claim of having “credible allegations” connecting individuals from New Delhi to the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a pro-Khalistan Sikh militant. India has vehemently dismissed these allegations as “absurd” and “motivated.”
It remains unclear whether this suspension of visa services is directly related to the aforementioned dispute or if it is solely a technical matter. The controversy surrounding Nijjar’s assassination, which occurred in Vancouver, Canada, in June, has emerged following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s discussion of the presence of Khalistani terrorists operating in Canada during the G20 Summit in Delhi.
