The Khalistan Referendum has sparked a diplomatic standoff between India and Canada, with each government advising its citizens against visiting the other. It started after India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) warned Indian citizens and students to exercise additional caution while coming to Canada on September 23.
All Indians were advised to take caution and to keep vigilance, according to a MEA notification titled “Advisory for Indian Nationals and Students from India in Canada.” Additionally, it sent a warning to Indian students who might visit Canada.
Experts warn that this diplomatic tug-of-war between the two countries may intensify soon and affect the Indian students’ pursuit of the “Canadian dream.”
Four days after the Khalistan Referendum in Brampton, Canada, was organized by the US-based Sikh organization Sikh For Justice (SFJ), MEA issued the travel warning.
The Canadian government responded to the Indian travel warning for visiting Canada by advising citizens to stay away from areas 10 kilometers from Pakistan’s international border in the states of Punjab, Gujarat, and Rajasthan because of the “unpredictable security situation” and the “presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance.” This advice was issued on September 27. The Wagah border, however, is not included in the Canadian government’s alert.
Prior to the second phase of the Khalistan Referendum, which is due to take place in Toronto on November 6, Canada issued a travel warning for India.
The battle of advisories between India and Canada indicate that the trust deficit is widening between the two countries. Although Canadian government has maintained that it didn’t recognize the illegal referendum, and instead it respects the integrity and sovereignty of India, but it has done very little to allay the concerns shared by India.