The Indian High Commission in Canada declared on Wednesday that after a nearly two-month break, India has resumed electronic visa services for qualified Canadian citizens.
The official notification stated, “Those with standard or ordinary Canadian passports can use the eVisa option. Any other type of Canadian passport holder must apply for a standard paper visa.”
Restoring e-visa services is a big step towards improving ties between the two nations after they suffered a severe setback due to Canada’s accusations that India was involved in the killing of terrorist from Khalistani, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, on Canadian territory earlier this year.
This came about following India’s renewal of several visa categories for Canadian nationals last month, following a one-month restriction. The decision was hailed as “good news for Canadians” by Ottawa. When Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, by unknown gunmen in June, a diplomatic spat broke out between India and Canada. Subsequently, based on intelligence sources, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed in Parliament that there were “credible” connections between the execution of Nijjar and Indian government operatives.
Although US intelligence helped to back these assertions, there is now no credible public evidence to corroborate them. India has refuted all of the accusations, calling them “absurd” and politically driven.
