Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly announced today that Canada has expelled a top Indian diplomat, accusing India of killing a Khalistani radical Canadian citizen. The move is a significant escalation in the diplomatic standoff between the two countries.
The diplomat, whose name has not been released, was expelled for "activities incompatible with his diplomatic status," according to a statement from the Canadian Foreign Ministry. The statement went on to say that the diplomat's expulsion was "in response to India's ongoing refusal to hold those responsible for the killing of Arshdeep Singh Bhullar accountable."
Bhullar was a Canadian citizen who was killed in India in 2018. India claims that Bhullar was killed in a shootout with police, but Canadian officials believe that he was extrajudicially executed.
The expulsion of the Indian diplomat is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat moves between Canada and India. In 2020, India expelled a Canadian diplomat after Canada granted asylum to Jaspal Atwal, a convicted Sikh separatist.
The diplomatic standoff between Canada and India is likely to have a significant impact on the relationship between the two countries. Canada and India have close economic ties, and the two countries also cooperate on a number of security issues.
It is unclear how India will respond to Canada's expulsion of the Indian diplomat. However, it is possible that India will retaliate by expelling a Canadian diplomat or taking other measures.
The diplomatic standoff between Canada and India is a reminder of the tensions that exist between the two countries. The standoff is also a reminder of the importance of diplomacy in resolving disputes between countries.
