Indian students have expressed concerns following Canada’s recent decision to end its fast-track Student Direct Stream (SDS) visa program.

The program, which allowed eligible students to obtain study permits more quickly, has been a popular choice for those seeking to study in Canada.

This abrupt move has left many aspiring students worried about their academic future.

A Chandigarh resident, who plans to study in Canada, voiced her concerns, saying, “I was trying to go to Canada but the situation is that Canada has stopped the visa. That was not right because many Indian population want to go abroad for studies and the politics that is being used in this is also wrong.”

“It’s not right to stop visas midway. There are so many opportunities and dream jobs we will miss out on,” she added.

She also blamed political interference for the decision, adding, “Politics should not interfere.”

Visa counselor Rahul Arora also expressed concerns, saying that this will negatively impact students’ ambitions and dreams.

“This decision will definitely have a negative impact. I think that the children’s ambitions and dreams of going forward and studying, the dreams that they have been trying for years, will be hit by that. And I think that this is an adverse decision for both the countries,” he said.

The SDS, a popular program launched in 2018, offered faster processing for students from countries including India, China, Pakistan, Brazil, and others. It was abruptly ended on November 8.

The Nigeria Student Express (NSE) for Nigerian students has also been discontinued, though applications submitted before the deadline will still be processed under the SDS and NSE.

“The Student Direct Stream (SDS) was launched in 2018 to provide faster processing for eligible post-secondary students. The SDS was eventually opened to legal residents of Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam,” said a statement by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The government has said that it is “committed to giving all international students equal and fair access to the application process for study permits.”

“Canada’s goal is to strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerability, and give all students equal and fair access to the application process, as well as a positive academic experience,” the statement by IRCC added.

Following this development, future applicants will be required to go through Canada’s regular study permit processes, which will require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or a Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) to study at designated learning institutions (DLIs) in the country.

This move comes amid rising diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, following allegations of India’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, which India has denied.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and US NSA Jake Sullivan during a meeting, in New Delhi, Monday, June 17, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Amidst tension between India and the U.S. over the alleged targeting of Sikh separatists by India, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke over the phone with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval during which they discussed regional security developments, bilateral issues including defence cooperation.

The two leaders also discussed the need for further efforts to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region and globally, the White House said on Wednesday (October 31, 2024) in a readout of the call.

“They welcomed progress in the bilateral partnership, including through the upcoming Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) Intersessional and Indian Ocean Dialogue. They also discussed further opportunities for closer collaboration in key domains, including clean energy supply chains and defence cooperation, it said.

The two leaders spoke over the phone on Wednesday.

“They also discussed further opportunities for closer collaboration in key domains, including clean energy supply chains and defence cooperation,” said the White House.

Early this week, the U.S. had said that Canada’s allegations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah are “concerning”.

“The allegations made by the government of Canada are concerning, and we will continue to consult with the Canadian government about those allegations,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Thursday.

Canada’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison had “confirmed” a leaked Washington Post report alleging that Mr. Shah was behind a campaign to target Khalistani separatists in Canada.

In response to a question Mr. Morrison said he had “confirmed” Mr. Shah’s name to The Washington Post.

“The journalist called me and asked if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person,” he said.

The United States also said that it welcomes any reduction in tension along the India-China border and noted that it has been briefed by New Delhi on this.

“We are closely following the developments [between India and China]. We understand that both countries have taken initial steps to withdraw troops from friction points along the Line of Actual Control. We welcome any reduction in tensions along the border,” Mr. Miller said.

Responding to a question, Mr. Miller said that the U.S. has played no role in this. “We have talked to our Indian partners and been briefed on it, but we did not play any role in this resolution,” Mr. Miller said.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Canada had briefed New Zealand on the criminal investigation into violence against members of its South Asian community amid rising diplomatic tensions between India and Canada.

“The alleged criminal conduct outlined publicly by Canadian law enforcement authorities, if proven, would be very concerning,” Mr. Peters said in a post on X.

He added, “At the same time, we do not comment on the details of ongoing criminal investigations, in New Zealand or abroad, other than to note that it is important that the rule of law and judicial processes be respected and followed.”

This comes after Canada accused India of making a “fundamental error,” as an escalating row over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil last year saw both countries expel each other’s Ambassadors.

India has since ordered the expulsion of six top Canadian diplomats, including the acting High Commissioner, and said it had withdrawn its envoy from Canada, contradicting Canada’s statement that it had expelled the envoy.

Relations between the two countries have been fraught since last year, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had evidence linking Indian agents to the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader in his country.

New Delhi:

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday said there is a commitment to work with India on some “very important issues” amid a massive diplomatic row. 

Justin Trudeau’s remarks come a day after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of G7 Summit in Italy on Friday.

“I’m not going to get into the details of this important, sensitive issue that we need to follow up, but this was a commitment to work together, in the coming times, to deal with some very important issues,” Trudeau told reporters.

PM Modi’s meeting with the Canadian counterpart comes amid strained ties after Canadian authorities alleged India’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. 

The two leaders earlier met at the G20 Summit hosted by India in September last year.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was wanted in India on various terror charges, was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in Surrey on June 18, 2023.

Canada’s charge against India sparked a massive row with both countries expelling diplomats of the other country.

Three Indians were arrested in Canada  in May in connection with Nijjar’s murder. India has said there are “political interests at work” in the matter and reiterated its position that separatists and extremists have been given political space in the country.

While Trudeau had claimed after the arrests that Canada is “a rule-of-law country” and the investigation into the murder is not limited to the three Indians, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that, despite warnings from Delhi, Canada has been issuing visas to people with links to organised crime.

India has been asserting that its “core issue” with Canada remained that of the space given to separatists, terrorists and anti-India elements in that country.

New Delhi:

The centre today said that no international norms were violated in India seeking parity in the mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa. The statement came just hours after Canada withdrew 41 diplomats accusing India of violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

“We reject any attempt to portray the implementation of parity as a violation of international norms,” the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

“The state of our bilateral relations, the much higher number of Canadian diplomats in India, and their continued interference in our internal affairs warrant a parity in mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa,” it added.

Earlier today, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly while announcing the departure of diplomats had said, “I can confirm that India has formally conveyed its plan to unethically remove diplomatic immunities for all but 21 Canadian diplomats and dependents in Delhi by tomorrow, October 20. This means 41 Canadian diplomats and their 42 dependents were in danger of having immunity stripped on an arbitrary date. And this would put their personal safety at risk.

“Immunities allow diplomats to do their work without fear of reprisal or arrests from the country they’re in. They are a fundamental principle of diplomacy and this is a two-way street. They only work if every country abides by the rules. A unilateral revocation of diplomatic privilege and immunities is contrary to international law. It is a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and threatening to do so is unreasonable and escalatory,” she said.

Canada also paused all in-person services at the consulates in Mumbai, Chandigarh, and Bengaluru and urged its citizens in these three cities to exercise caution. All Canadians in India have been asked to contact the High Commission in New Delhi in case they need assistance.

India last month asked Canada to reduce its diplomatic presence after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited what he said was credible evidence of a potential link between Indian agents and the murder of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India denies any connection to the shooting outside a Sikh temple in June.

New York City:

Alleging that the agents of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada, an independent blogger, Jennifer Zeng, has said that China’s “purpose was to frame India creating discord between India and the West”.

She also alleged that it was a part of the CCP’s sinister “Ignition Plan” to disrupt the world in line with Xi Jinping’s military strategy regarding Taiwan.

Jennifer Zeng is a Chinese born rights activist, journalist who is currently living in the US.

In a video posted on the social media platform, X, Zeng dubbed the killing of Nijjar as an assassination claiming, “Today shocking revelations about the ‘assassination ‘ of Sikh religious leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada have emerged from within the CCP. It is alleged that the ‘assassination’ was carried out by CCP agents.”

On 18 June 2023, Hardeep Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.

The independent blogger attributed her allegations to Chinese writer and YouTuber Lao Deng, who according to her, lives in Canada now.

“Lao stated that in early June this year as part of their disruption initiative ‘Ignition Plan’, the CCP Ministry of State Security sent a high-ranking official to Seattle, USA. A secret meeting was held there…The objective was to sabotage relations between India and the West,” Zeng claims in the video posted on X.

“The agents were tasked with assassinating Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh leader in Canada. Following the meeting, the CCP agents meticulously executed the killing plan,” she claimed.

Explaining their modus operandi, the independent blogger alleges, “On June 18th, the agents armed with silenced guns tracked Nijjar. When the deed was done, they destroyed the dash camera in Nijjar’s Car to erase any evidence. After the crime, the agents fled, they burned their weapons and disguises to destroy all traces. The next day they left Canada in Airplanes.”

She also alleged that the killers even purposely learned Indian-accent English. “Therefore, they purposely spoke in India accent English…In fact, these actions were part of the scheme by CCP secret agent to frame India,” said Zeng.

She also claimed that Lao revealed that the CCP’s ‘ignition plan’ was devised this year after the CCP’s two sessions.

There has been no response to Jennifer Zeng’s allegations, posted in the video on Sunday afternonn (US time) from either the Chinese foreign ministry or the Ministry of External Affairs.

The diplomatic ties between India and Canada soured after the Canadian government expelled a senior Indian diplomat accusing India of playing a role in the killing of a Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

In the aftermath, India swiftly retaliated by issuing a statement that denied any involvement in the issue and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat. India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’.

Amid escalating tensions, India has called for parity in the number of Canadian diplomats in India.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi earlier this month said that Canadian diplomatic presence is much higher in India and they assume “there would be reduction”.

“On discussions on parity, given the much higher presence of diplomats or diplomatic presence here and their interference in our internal matters, we have sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence. Discussions are ongoing to achieve this. Given that Canadian diplomatic presence is higher, we would assume that there would be a reduction,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
| Photo Credit: AP

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau have underscored the importance of de-escalation of the India-Canada diplomatic row and respect for the rule of law in a call, which was dominated by the standoff over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada in June.

According to a Downing Street statement, the British Indian leader spoke to Mr. Trudeau on Friday evening during which he was updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India. Both leaders agreed to stay in contact as Mr. Sunak reaffirmed the U.K. position of respect for the rule of law after Canada‘s allegation of Indian involvement in the killing of a pro-Khalistan wanted terrorist.

“Prime Minister Trudeau updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India,” reads the Downing Street statement.

“The Prime Minister [Sunak] reaffirmed the U.K.’s position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, including the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. He hoped to see a de-escalation in the situation and agreed to remain in contact with Prime Minister Trudeau on the next steps,” it said.

The Canadian Prime Minister’s Office from Ottawa echoed the statement, saying that Mr. Trudeau provided an update on the current situation between Canada and India.

“The leaders emphasised respect for the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the need to ensure the safety and security of their citizens. They underscored the importance of de-escalation in this context. Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Sunak agreed to remain in close contact and to continue working together to tackle global issues,” the Canadian government statement reads.

The call comes in the wake of Mr. Trudeau’s statement in the Canadian Parliament last month that its security forces were “actively pursuing credible allegations” linking Indian government agents to the murder of Khalistan Tiger Force leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June, an allegation strongly rejected by India as “absurd and motivated”.

The telephonic talks between Mr. Sunak and Mr. Trudeau took place in the days after the fallout of that diplomatic row resonated in the U.K. when Indian High Commissioner to the U.K. Vikram Doraiswami was blocked from a planned visit to Glasgow Gurdwara in Scotland last week by pro-Khalistan extremists.

“Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner, Vikram Doraiswami, was stopped from meeting with the Gurudwara Committee at the Gurudwara in Glasgow. The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the U.K. must be open to all,” Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the U.K. Foreign Office minister for Indo-Pacific wrote on X.

In recent developments, the Ministry External Affairs (MEA) said it has been coordinating with its mission in Ottawa and consulates in other Canadian cities over safety concerns.

“We have been taking up concerns of security of our diplomats and premises from people there who are wanted by our security and our judicial systems, and we will continue to do that as that is a continued conversation. The issue is about security, and our diplomats are safe and the community is not targeted,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in New Delhi.

India has also asserted that Canada must reduce its diplomatic presence in the country to achieve parity in strength and alleged that some of the Canadian diplomats are involved in interfering in New Delhi’s internal matters.

Mr. Bagchi said discussions on the modalities to arrive at mutual diplomatic presence are going on and gave clear indication that India will not review its position on the issue.

Ottawa:

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on Tuesday said that the country wants “private talks with India to resolve a diplomatic dispute” over the killing of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Reuters reported.

 “We are in contact with the government of India. We take Canadian diplomats’ safety very seriously and we will continue to engage privately because we think diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private,” Reuters quoted Joly as saying to reporters.

There is a strain in India-Canada relations following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations regarding the Indian government’s ‘potential role’ in the fatal shooting of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar, 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.

However, India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’.

Notably, Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The country has said it wants to “work constructively with India” regarding the allegations.

Trudeau on Tuesday said that his country was not “looking to escalate the situation with India,” adding that Ottawa wants to remain on the ground in New Delhi to help Canadians, Reuters reported. 

“Canada is not looking to escalate the situation with India, will continue to engage responsibly and constructively with New Delhi. We want to be on the ground in India to help the Canadian families there,” Reuters quoted Trudeau as saying. 

Trudeau had said last week that Canada is still committed to building closer ties with India, despite “credible allegations of the Indian government’s involvement” in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canada-based National Post reported. India has rejected the claims as “absurd” and “motivated”.

Pointing to the increasing influence of India worldwide, Trudeau said that it is “extremely important” that Canada and its allies continue to engage with India.

“India is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player. And as we presented with our Indo-Pacific strategy, just last year, we’re very serious about building closer ties with India,” he had told reporters.

“At the same time, obviously, as a rule of law country, we need to emphasize that India needs to work with Canada to ensure that we get the full facts of this matter,” National Post quoted Trudeau as saying.

Toronto:

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday said Canada was going through an “extremely challenging time” with India but asserted that Ottawa will continue to have “constructive relations” with New Delhi, amid the diplomatic row between the two countries over the killing of a Khalistani separatist.

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Mr Trudeau also said that it’s important for Canada to have diplomats on the ground in India, amid a report by London-based Financial Times that New Delhi wants as many as 41 of 62 remaining Canadian diplomats out of the country, the Toronto Sun newspaper reported.

“Obviously, we’re going through an extremely challenging time with India right now,” Mr Trudeau was quoted as saying by the Canadian newspaper.

He, however, did not confirm the FT report that India has asked Canada to withdraw 41 of 62 diplomats from the country.

Asked if his government would retaliate by asking India to remove diplomats based in Canada, Mr Trudeau insisted his government would try to keep working with New Delhi.

“We’re not looking to escalate, as I’ve said, we’re going to be doing the work that matters in continuing to have constructive relations with India through this extremely difficult time,” Mr Trudeau was quoted as saying by the state-run CBC News.

Tensions flared between India and Canada last month following Mr Trudeau’s allegations of “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in British Columbia. India angrily rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated”.

Nijjar was shot dead by two masked gunmen. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.

Last month, India asked Canada to downsize its diplomatic staff in the country, arguing that there should be parity in strength and rank equivalence in the mutual diplomatic presence. The size of Canadian diplomatic staff in India is larger than what New Delhi has in Canada.

India also asked Canada to come down hard on terrorists and anti-India elements operating from its soil and suspended visa services for Canadians.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told journalists in Washington last week that the governments of India and Canada will have to talk to each other and see how they resolve their differences over the issue and underlined that the larger issue of “permissiveness” must be flagged and addressed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

 The US has said it is in close coordination with Canada on allegations regarding the Indian government’s involvement in the fatal shooting of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

“We remain in close coordination with our Canadian colleagues on this question,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said while responding to a question related to Nijjar’s killing in Canada.

Miller’s remarks came during a daily press briefing on Monday (US local time).

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently alleged that the Indian government was behind the fatal shooting of Nijjar.

Nijjar, 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.

However, India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’.

Notably, Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Miller said the US has engaged with the Indian government on a number of occasions to urge them to cooperate with Canada’s investigation.

He said US State Secretary Antony Blinken had an opportunity to discuss the issue with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar during their meeting on Friday.

Meanwhile, Trudeau has said that Ottawa wants to “work constructively with India” regarding the allegations.

While addressing a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trudeau said, “In regards to India, Canada has shared the credible allegations that I talked about on Monday. With India, we did that many weeks ago. We are there to work constructively with India and we hope that they engage with us so that we can get to the bottom of this very serious matter.”

EAM Jaishankar recently said that the ongoing problem with Canada has been there for some years because of the “permissiveness” by the government regarding terrorism, extremism and violence in the country.

Mr Jaishankar said that the current situation can’t be termed a “deadlock”, adding that the Indian government is open to looking at any specific and relevant thing shared by the Canadian side in connection with the issue.

Addressing a press conference in Washington DC on Friday, Mr Jaishankar said, “Well, I don’t know if I would use the term deadlock…The issue is as follows: The Canadians have made some allegations. We have pointed out to them that this is not the Government of India’s policy and if they are prepared to share with us specifics and anything relevant, we are also open to looking at it. So in that sense, that’s where the matter stands”.

“But what we do not want to see is an incident treated in isolation because then that somewhere does not convey the right picture,” he added.

The EAM said that the ongoing problem with Canada is because of the “permissiveness” regarding terrorism, extremism and violence in the country.

India has suspended its visa services in Canada, following Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau’s allegations of Indian involvement in the killing.

Amid strained ties, India issued an advisory for its citizens and those who are travelling to Canada to exercise “utmost caution in view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence” in the country.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)