India announced on Thursday that Canada’s Senate speaker, Raymonde Gagne,will not be attending a two-day G20 event in New Delhi this week.
This decision comes as diplomatic relations remain strained followingCanada’s investigation into allegations connecting Indian agents to theassassination of a Sikh separatist leader.
The two-day parliamentary speakers’ summit, part of India’s year-longpresidency of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies, will commence onFriday and Speaker Gagne will be absent.
Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi emphasized thatparticipation in G20 events is at the discretion of the members. TheCanadian Senate had not immediately responded to Reuters’ request forcomment.
Indian media reported that Canada would be represented by the Senatespeaker, as mentioned by India’s lower house speaker. Tensions betweenIndia and Canada escalated when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaupublicly expressed suspicions that New Delhi’s agents were involved in themurder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was fatally shot by unidentified gunmenin a Vancouver suburb on June 18.
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India dismissed this allegation, resulting in the expulsion of diplomatsfrom both countries. Furthermore, India suspended the issuance of new visasfor Canadians and called on Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence inIndia.
Bagchi stated that India is maintaining contact with Canada at variouslevels and remains committed to ensuring parity in terms of Canadiandiplomatic representation.