PM Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (file photo)
New Delhi: The Indian Foreign Ministry has clarified the situation regarding the consular officers of the Indian Consulate amid the ongoing dispute with Canada. Ministry of External Affairs
“Respect for each other’s concerns, territorial integrity and sovereignty is essential for stable bilateral relations,” he said in the Rajya Sabha. Consular officers at the Indian Consulate in Vancouver were recently informed by Canadian authorities that they were “audio and Are under “Video Surveillance”. His “private communications” have also been “blocked”. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh also said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, “Respecting each other’s concerns, territorial integrity and sovereignty is essential for stable bilateral relations”.
He was asked if there was any case of cyber surveillance or other types of surveillance targeting Indian diplomats in Canada. To this he said that yes, recently, the consular officers of the Indian Consulate in Vancouver were informed by the Canadian authorities that they are and will continue to be under audio and video surveillance and their personal communications have also been intercepted. Singh, in his response, said, “The Government of India, through its Note Verbale dated November 2, 2024, lodged a strong protest with the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi on this issue. Because this action was a gross violation of all diplomatic provisions.”
Consular personnel are in an environment of extremism and violence
In his reply, the minister also cited the response of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson in his recent weekly briefing to the media here. He said the Canadian government cannot justify this fact by citing technicalities and subjecting them to harassment and intimidation. Our diplomatic and consular personnel are already working in an environment of extremism and violence.
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