Canada issued a fresh travel advisory for its citizens in India, asking them to “remain vigilant and exercise caution” in the context of recent developments in Canada and in India.
The advisory, published on the website of the Government of Canada, said “There are calls for protests and some negative sentiment towards Canada on social media”, media reports said.
The country’s latest advisory issued on Monday, comes days after India issued a travel advisory for its nationals and students living in Canada and halted visa services late last week.
Canada’s safety alert for Indian travel
The government released a region specific advisory on Monday, saying, “There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.”
The Canadian government also advised its citizens against travelling to India. “If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so,” it said.
Under regional risk, it said, “Avoid non-essential travel to the following states due to the risk of terrorism and insurgency: Assam, Manipur. Avoid all travel to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir due to the unpredictable security situation. There is a threat of terrorism, militancy, civil unrest and kidnapping.”
The advisory further asked citizens to avoid all travel to areas within 10 km of the border with Pakistan in Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan “due to the unpredictable security situation and presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance.”, adding, however, that “this advisory excludes the Wagah border crossing.”
The move by Canada and India followed escalated tensions between the two countries after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June this year.
India, however, rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated”.
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