Dozens of Canadian diplomats have left India after the country threatened to revoke their immunity in an "unreasonable and escalatory” violation of international law, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said.
Canada relocated 41 staff from its embassy and consulates in the country, leaving only 21 behind, Joly said Thursday in Ottawa. It’s the latest development in a diplomatic row that kicked off last month when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there was "credible” evidence India’s government helped orchestrate the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a suburb of Vancouver.
The accusation infuriated the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which retaliated with several measures including a suspension of visas for Canadians. Joly said India conveyed its plans to strip diplomatic immunity from the envoys by Friday, putting their personal safety at risk.