Canada travel advisory to India updated to include protests, 'negative sentiments'

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Canada has updated its travel advisory for India to include warnings about protests and "negative sentiments" towards Canadians in light of a recent breakdown in Canada-India relations.

Global Affairs Canada is urging travellers to exercise a high degree of caution when visiting the South Asian country.

"In the context of recent developments in Canada and in India, there are calls for protests and some negative sentiment towards Canada on social media," reads an update to the travel advisory. "Please remain vigilant and exercise caution."

The update comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India last week of being involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen wanted for several years by authorities in that country.

Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was gunned down in June outside a Sikh temple in temple in Surrey, B.C., a Vancouver suburb with a high Sikh population. Nijjar was a prominent member of a political movement to create an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan. At the time of his murder, he was working with the group Sikhs for Justice to organize an unofficial referendum among the Sikh diaspora.

Trudeau called for India's help to investigate before revealing there were "credible allegations" implicating India's government in the killing. Then, last Tuesday, Canada expelled an Indian diplomat.

India called the allegations absurd and fired back by expelling a Canadian representative.

The Indian government also halted all visa services for Canadian citizens and, five days before Canada updated its travel advisory, urged Indian citizens in Canada to exercise caution over "growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence" here.

“Given the deteriorating security environment in Canada, Indian students in particular are advised to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant,” reads the travel advisory.

Meanwhile, Sikh activists are urging the diaspora in Canada to gather outside Indian embassies in protest of the killing.

Over the weekend, Sikhs for Justice director Jatinder Singh Grewal told Reuters his organization will lead demonstrations outside the Indian embassies and consulates in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver to increase public awareness about Nijjar’s killing.

– With files from The Canadian Press and Reuters