00:00 Canada has announced the withdrawal of 41 diplomats from India, marking the latest development
00:06 in an escalating diplomatic dispute between the two countries.
00:10 The move comes in the wake of a contentious situation involving the killing of Khalistani
00:14 terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canada soil.
00:18 The diplomatic row began when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly linked Indian
00:22 intelligence to Nijjar's killing, a claim vehemently denied by India.
00:27 Nijjar, an advocate for a separate Sikh state outside India, was wanted by Indian authorities
00:32 for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder.
00:37 The accusations from Canada led to a significant downturn in bilateral relations.
00:42 Foreign Affairs Minister of Canada Melanie Jolie revealed that India had planned to revoke
00:46 diplomatic immunity for about 21 of Canada's diplomats and their families by a specified
00:52 deadline compelling Canada to withdraw the remaining personnel.
00:56 As of now, I can confirm that India has formally conveyed its plan to unilaterally remove diplomatic
01:05 immunities for all but 21 Canadian diplomats and dependents in Delhi by tomorrow, October
01:12 20.
01:14 This means 41 Canadian diplomats and their 42 dependents were in danger of having immunities
01:22 stripped on an arbitrary date and this would put their personal safety at risk.
01:29 The safety of Canadians and of our diplomats is always my top concern.
01:35 Given the implications of India's actions on the safety of our diplomats, we have facilitated
01:40 their safe departure from India.
01:44 This means that our diplomats and their families have now left.
01:48 The diplomatic tensions have intensified since Trudeau's remarks last month resulting in
01:52 retaliatory measures from India such as shutting down of visa services for Canadians and expelling
01:58 a Canadian diplomat.
02:00 The strained relations pose a delicate situation for the United States, a close ally of Canada,
02:06 as it seeks to strengthen ties with India while navigating regional dynamics and countering
02:11 Chinese influence.
02:12 The withdrawal of diplomats and the breakdown of diplomatic immunity further underscore
02:17 the gravity of the dispute requiring careful diplomatic navigation to prevent further escalation.
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