Canada ends extra screening for India-bound travellers amid diplomatic row

The revised rules mean that India-bound passengers will no longer face the extra security checks that had sparked concerns about delays

Canada has withdrawn its recently introduced standard operating procedures for additional screening of travellers flying to India. The measures, implemented “out of an abundance of caution,” were reversed just days after being enforced, according to NDTV.

 

The revised rules mean that India-bound passengers will no longer face the extra security checks that had raised concerns about delays. Canada’s Transport Minister Anita Anand had earlier acknowledged that the “temporary additional security screening measures” might inconvenience passengers but described them as necessary at the time.

 

The policy shift comes against the backdrop of a deepening diplomatic crisis between India and Canada. Tensions escalated after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused “agents” of Delhi of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist and Canadian citizen, in Vancouver in June last year. Trudeau claimed that “credible information” regarding the allegations had been shared with allies, including the United States.

 

In the aftermath, both nations expelled senior diplomats. Canada ousted Indian diplomats, prompting a reciprocal move by New Delhi, which expelled Canadian Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler and five others.

 

“I think it is obvious the Government of India made a fundamental error in thinking they could engage in supporting criminal activity against Canadians here on Canadian soil. Whether it be murders, extortion, or other violent acts, it is absolutely unacceptable,” Trudeau stated.

 

Nijjar, the mastermind of the banned terror group Khalistan Tiger Force, was on India’s list of most-wanted terrorists. He faced multiple charges, including the murder of a Hindu priest in Punjab. India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) had announced a Rs 10 lakh reward for information leading to his capture.

 

The diplomatic row deepened further with conflicting narratives surrounding a report by Canadian media outlet The Globe and Mail. The report alleged that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of the plot to kill Nijjar. On Thursday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the claims as part of a “smear campaign.” The following day, the Canadian government labelled the report as “speculative and inaccurate.”

 

“On October 14, because of a significant and ongoing threat to public safety, the RCMP and officials took the extraordinary step of making public accusations of serious criminal activity in Canada perpetrated by agents of the Government of India,” read a statement by Canadian authorities. However, it clarified: “The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada.”