India to Resume Visa Services for Canadians

India’s High Commission in Ottawa has announced that visa services for Canadians will resume after they were suspended in September due to “security threats” disrupting work at Indian missions in Canada. The suspension occurred amidst a serious dispute over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil, with Ottawa accusing India of involvement and India denying the allegations. Following a review of the security situation and recent Canadian measures, India will begin issuing some visas, with further decisions to be made based on ongoing evaluation. The resumption of services will reportedly apply to entry, business, medical, and conference visas. However, it remains unclear if Canadian tourists will be included in the resumption of services. The decision to resume visa services marks a potential step towards improving the strained relations between India and Canada, which reached historic lows following the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader, in British Columbia.