The India-Canada diplomatic spat hit a new low on Thursday with India accusing Canada of providing a haven of refuge for terrorists and halting visa services for all Canadians. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasised that Canada upholds the rule of law. The diplomatic row erupted on Monday after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that India was involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India denied the allegation, and both Canada and India pursued a number of diplomatic initiatives. On Thursday, New Delhi reaffirmed that despite the Canadian PM’s public accusations against India, the Canadian side had never given India any particular advice about its claims.
“As a country of the rule of law, we have an obligation to ensure that those processes unfold in a rigorous and independent manner and that is what we are ensuring. At the same time, we are ensuring that Canadians stay protected and that we stand up for international rules-based order. That is something we are doing and is something we are doing alongside our allies,” Trudeau stated.