India asks Canada to withdraw about 40 diplomats: Reports

New Delhi: A Financial Times report on Tuesday said that India has asked Canada to withdraw about 40 diplomats from the country.

Quoting people familiar with the demand, FT said that Ottawa has been given a deadline of October 10.

The move is a fallout of tensions that flared between India and Canada following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's explosive allegations of the "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar on his country's soil. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.

The tension between the two countries started with Canada expelling an Indian diplomat over Nijjar’s killing attracting a similar move by India.

India suspended visa services for Canadians and issued a travel advisory for Indians in Canada.

According to FT, Canada has several dozen more diplomats at its high commission in New Delhi than India has in Ottawa, because of the big consular section needed for relatives of the roughly 1.3 million Canadians who claim Indian heritage.

“Canada had 62 diplomats in India and was asked by New Delhi to reduce the number by 41,” FT said.