India broadens consular services for its nationals in Canada

The extended consulate services encompass the issuance of passports, attestation, provision of police clearance certificates, and passport renewal.

Ottawa: The Consulate General of India in Toronto has extended consular services for Indian nationals in Canada.

The consulate services which have been extended include passport issuance, attestation, police clearance certificate and passport renewal.

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In a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Consulate General of India in Toronto stated, “Consular services for Indian nationals in Canada, e.g. Passport issuance, Passport renewal, Police Clearance Certificate, Attestation etc. continue to be extended.”

On September 20, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) advised Indian nationals, students in Canada and those planning on travelling to the country to exercise caution amid the recent strain in relations between the two countries.

Indian nationals and Indian students in Canada are advised to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen growing anti-India activities, according to a release issued by the MEA on Wednesday.

“​In view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada, all Indian nationals there and those contemplating travel are urged to exercise utmost caution. Recently, threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda,” MEA said in the press release.

Indian nationals and students in Canada must also register with the High Commission of India in Ottawa or the Consulates General of India in Toronto and Vancouver through their respective websites or the MADAD portal madad.gov.in.

Registration would enable the High Commission and the Consulates General to better connect with Indian citizens in Canada in the event of any emergency or untoward incident, as per the MEA.

“Given the deteriorating security environment in Canada, Indian students in particular are advised to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant,” MEA said in the press release.

This comes amid growing tensions between India, and Canada after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday accused the Indian government of being behind the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.

On Tuesday, India rejected the allegations of the Canadian PM calling them ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’. This was followed by the expulsion of a senior Canadian diplomat from India.

“We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister,”  MEA said in an official statement.

“Allegations of the Indian government’s “involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated” the release added.

MEA said in the press release, “Similar allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to our Prime Minister and were completely rejected.”