Joly Mum on India’s Request to Slash Canadian Diplomatic Staff

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly speaks to reporters in Charlottetown on Aug. 21, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly would not confirm news reports saying India has asked Canada to reduce its diplomatic staff in-country by two-thirds, when asked about the issue on Oct. 3.

“Of course, we are in contact with the Government of India,” Ms. Joly told reporters in Ottawa.

“We take the Canadian diplomats’ safety very seriously and we will continue to engage privately because we think that diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private.”

On Sept. 18, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took the extraordinary step of rising in the House of Commons to accuse India of having had a hand in the killing of Sikh secessionist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in B.C. in June.

Relations between the two countries have worsened since, with The Associated Press reporting on Oct. 3 that New Delhi had asked Ottawa to bring the number of its diplomats down from 62 to 21.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately confirm the report, but its spokesperson said on Sept. 21 that a request had been made to Canada to reduce its staff.

“We have informed the Canadian government that there should be parity in strength and rank equivalents in ... mutual diplomatic presence,” said Arindam Bagchi.

“Their numbers here are much, very much higher than ours in Canada. The details of this are being worked out, but I assume there will be a reduction from the Canadian side.”

The Global Affairs Canada (GAC) website lists 60 accredited Indian diplomats in Canada, with three of them being non-resident, suggesting almost a parity.

GAC did not immediately confirm the number of diplomats currently in India, but it also said on Sept. 21 it was reducing its presence in India over security concerns.

“As a result, and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to temporarily adjust staff presence in India,” said a GAC spokesperson.

The same day, India said it would stop issuing all types of visas to Canadian citizens.

New Delhi, which has long complained of Canada being a safe haven for Sikh secessionists, has called Mr. Trudeau’s public accusations “absurd and motivated.”

The prime minister has not substantiated the allegations, but U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Cohen said on Sept. 22 that intelligence informing Mr. Trudeau’s allegation came from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and the UK.

The United States and UK, which are both working on strengthening ties with India, have not changed course following the accusations.

Ms. Joly said that due to current tensions with India, it’s important “more than ever” to have Canadian diplomats on the ground.

“That’s why we believe in the importance of having a strong diplomatic footprint in India,” she said.