New Delhi:India has resumed visa services for select categories in Canada amid the ongoing hiatus between the two countries over the killing of a Khalistani separatist earlier this year.
The visa services have been resumed for the following categories – Entry visa, Business visa, Medical visa and Conference visa, a statement by the High Commission of India in Ottawa stated.
The development comes days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday that India is looking at resuming visa services for Canadians "very soon" if it sees progress in the safety of its diplomats in Canada. The ties between India and Canada nosedived after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged on September 18 that there was a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June.
New Delhi strongly trashed the charges. Days later, it announced the temporary suspension of the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence in India. The External Affairs Ministry said India had to stop issuing visas in Canada because it wasn't safe for the Indian diplomats to work there amid continuous threats and extremism.