Windsor SACW president speaks out amid tensions with India

South Asian Centre of Windsor in Windsor, Ont., on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (Stefanie Masotti/CTV News Windsor)

As tensions escalate between India and Canada, some in the Indian diaspora say they’re concerned about how the situation might affect travel between the two countries.

The federal government expelled six Indian diplomats on Monday after the RCMP said it had credible evidence that Indian agents played a role in violent crimes on Canadian soil, including extortion, coercion and murder of Canadian citizens.

India insists it has not been given evidence of any government involvement in crimes in Canada, and it has ordered six Canadian diplomats to leave.

Fazle Baki, president of the South Asian Centre of Windsor (SACW) in southwestern Ontario, says many community members he's spoken to – particularly families and students – have expressed concern about their ability to travel between India and Canada if the conflict escalates to visa suspensions.

In September of last year, India temporarily suspended visa services for Canadian citizens after Canada said there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the killing of Sikh temple leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

Baki says many members of his community feel on edge because of the tense diplomatic relationship and its latest developments, and they hope to have clarity soon on whether it could impact securing and processing visas.

"They're tense, they're concerned, they're frustrated with the lack of information and they're looking for guidance," he said.

Rama Singh, a retired McMaster University professor and co-chair of Hamilton’s annual Gandhi Peace Festival, has what's known as an OCI card, which allows unlimited entry to India for its overseas citizens.

But the Ancaster-Ont. resident says he's still worried about his upcoming travel to India, and others who plan to visit the country in the coming weeks as Diwali and wedding season approach.

"I'm concerned that I have bought tickets, and I would like to know soon which way things are moving," he said.

This week's expulsion of Indian diplomats from Canada comes after more than a year of rising tensions between the two countries, which came to a head after Nijjar's murder in June 2023.

What followed were several months of strained diplomatic relations, including Canada postponing a trade mission to India and both countries expelling top diplomats.

But amid the growing tensions, Singh says it's important to remember how Indians have contributed to Canada's social fabric, and the relationships created in local communities.

"I think India and Canada's relations are solid and long term, and will remain," he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.