In light of the improving circumstances and India's steady resumption of visa services, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that the resumption of e-visa services in Canada amidst the diplomatic crisis between India and Canada was a "logical consequence." Jaishankar stated that the G20 summit had nothing to do with it during the press conference that followed the Virtual G20 Leaders' Summit.
For all qualified Canadian nationals with normal or ordinary Canadian passports, the Indian E-Visa option was reopened on November 22. This occurred when India resumed issuing conference, business, medical, and entrance visas on October 26 following a one-month suspension.
"What had happened was we had temporarily suspended visa issuance because the situation in Canada made it difficult for our diplomats to do the, you know, frankly to go to the office and do the necessary work for processing visas. As the situation there has become more secure or relatively improved, I think we have found it possible for the visa services to progressively resume," Jaishankar said.
"Physical visas had started in many categories. And at that time itself, we said we would be looking at e-visas next. So I think it's the logical consequence," he added.
Diplomatic tensions between India and Canada have been on the rise since September when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian agents were involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who India labelled as a terrorist.
Rejecting the accusation, India asked Canada to produce evidence, which Ottawa said it had, but New Delhi said it had not received any. As the situation increased, both Canada and India dismissed a senior ambassador. India also asked Canada to remove its 41 deployed diplomats, alleging they were meddling in internal matters, and suspended visa services in Canada.
(Representative Images)
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