India-Canada Relations: Canada Govt issues travel advisory for Northeast states
Amidst heightening tensions in the India-Canada relations, the Canadian Government in its latest updated travel advisory, has included parts of Northeast India, specifically Assam and Manipur, cautioning its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the these states due to the risk of terrorism and insurgency.
India-Canada relations took a nosedive after the death of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar who is a wanted fugitive in India with an outstanding Interpol Red Notice for his arrest.
The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau has alleged the involvement of Indian Government agencies in the death of Nijjar, and claimed to have credible proof to show. The Government of India has vehemently dismissed the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated.”
Canada then expelled an Indian diplomat, following which India also expelled the Intelligence Chief at the Canadian Embassy in India.
As the issue heats up internationally, both the Indian and Canadian Government have scaled up the ante with issuing travel advisories for their citizens living or planning to travel to each other’s countries.
The Canadian advisory also asks its citizens to avoid travel to Jammu and Kashmir due to the unpredictable security situation and threat of terrorism, militancy, civil unrest and kidnapping.
The advisory also asks to Avoid all travel to areas within 10 km of the border with Pakistan due to the unpredictable security situation and presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance.
