Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing row: New Delhi expels top Canadian diplomat over 'anti-India activities'

Hours after an Indian diplomatin Canada was told to leave the country over Ottawa's inconclusive accusations linking Indian government with the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, New Delhi ordered a senior Canadian diplomat to leave the country within the next five days.

Canadian diplomat olivier sylvestre expelled by India. https://t.co/rUEggA2rJx

"The High Commissioner of Canada to India was summoned today and informed about the decision of the Government of India to expel a senior Canadian diplomat based in India. The concerned diplomat has been asked to leave India within the next five days," an official readout said.

"The decision reflects Government of India’s growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities."

Cameron MacKay, the Canadian High Commissioner to India, was seen ducking reporters at Raisina Hill's South Block in New Delhi on Monday morning where he was present to acknowledge the Indian foreign ministry'ssummons.

#WATCH | Canadian High Commissioner to India, Cameron MacKay leaves from the MEA headquarters at South Block, New Delhi.

📷 ANI pic.twitter.com/au6T8O66qM

In a remarkable reflection of a unique trend of worsening India-Canada ties, the Canadian envoy in New Delhi has been summoned more times than Pakistani diplomats this year, WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal reported.

In the recent past, the Canadian High Commissioner was summoned in December 2020, July 2023 and March 2023.

The expulsion of theCanadian diplomat from New Delhi was ordereda day after Canada did the same to a top Indiandiplomat overaccusations that 'agents of Indian government' may have had links to the killing of Nijjar.

The terrorist was gunned down on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural centre in Surrey, British Columbia.

Nijjar was organising an unofficial referendum in India for an independent Sikh nation at the time of his death.

What does tit-for-tat diplomat expulsionsmean?

Bilaterally, before Justin Trudeau came to power in Ottawa, Canada and India considered each other friends, not foes.

But Trudeau, with his political alliance with Sikh radicals in Canada, has brought bilateral ties with India under increasing strain.

After being snubbedduring his recent New Delhi visit at the G20 summit, the tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats will likely bring Canada-India relations to a new uniquelow.

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