India resumes e-visa services to Canadian nationals

Earlier in September, the Indian Mission in Canada suspended visa services until further notice, citing operational reasons, according to BLS International.

BLS International Services Limited is an Indian outsourcing service provider for government and diplomatic missions worldwide. The company manages visa, passport, consular, attestation and citizen services.

"Important notice from Indian Mission: Due to operational reasons, with effect from September 21, 2023, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice. Please keep checking the BLS website for further updates," the BLS website said.

However, in October, India decided to resume visa services in Canada for four categories after a considered review of the security situation, which "takes into account some recent Canadian measures in this regard".

Entry visa, business visa, medical visa and conference visa were four categories in which India decided to resume visa services in Canada with effect from October 26.

Following the development, Canada welcomed India's decision to partially resume visa services calling it a "good sign" and stating that the suspension should "never have happened in the first place", Canada-based CTV News reported.

Notably, amid a diplomatic standoff with Canada, India had halted its visa services until "further notice" in September.

This came after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the involvement of "agents of the Indian government" in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.

Najjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara in a parking area in Canada's Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18.

Trudeau, during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, claimed his country's national security officials had reasons to believe that "agents of the Indian government" carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who also served as the president of Surrey's Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.

India had rejected the allegations as "absurd and motivated" and expelled a Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move over Canada's decision.

"We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as well as the statement by their Foreign Minister. Allegations of the government of India's involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated," the statement said. (ANI)