India announced on Monday that it will withdraw its High Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and other “targeted” diplomats and officials from Canada. This decision follows Canada’s attempt to link these diplomats to an investigation into the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) made the announcement after summoning the Canadian Charge d’Affaires.
“The Canadian Charge d’Affaires was summoned by Secretary (East) this evening and was informed that the baseless targeting of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats in Canada is completely unacceptable,” the MEA stated. The ministry emphasized that the actions of the Trudeau government, in an atmosphere of extremism and violence, have put the diplomats’ safety at risk. As a result, India has decided to withdraw its High Commissioner and other diplomats from Canada.
Who is Sanjay Kumar Verma?
Born on July 28, 1965, Sanjay Kumar Verma graduated from Patna University and earned a Post-Graduate degree in Physics from IIT Delhi. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1988 and has held various diplomatic roles, including at the Indian High Commission in Hong Kong and the Indian embassies in China, Vietnam, and Türkiye. Verma also served as the Consul General in Milan, Italy, and as the Indian Ambassador to Sudan and Japan, before being appointed High Commissioner to Canada.
India’s Objection to Canada’s Claims on Nijjar’s Killing:
The MEA strongly rejected Canada’s diplomatic communication, which linked Indian diplomats to the probe into Nijjar’s death. India condemned these claims, describing them as part of the Trudeau government’s “political agenda” and criticized Canada’s failure to provide evidence. Relations between India and Canada have deteriorated significantly since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau first made the allegations in parliament in September 2023, which India has consistently denied.
