Tensions with India did not prompt Canada's updated travel advisory

"Canada issues travel advisory for India amid Khalistan row," says the text over a photo posted on Instagram by The Economic Times on September 20, 2023, which was liked more than 3,000 times.

Similar posts appeared on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok claiming Canada had issued a fresh travel advisory for India due to the "unpredictable security situation" in the country.

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Screenshot of an Instagram post taken September 21, 2023

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Screenshot of a Facebook post taken September 21, 2023

 

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was wanted by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism offenses (archived here), which he had denied. He was murdered in June by unidentified gunmen in Surrey, British Columbia.

On September 18, Trudeau addressed the Parliament of Canada saying the government had credible allegations linking Indian agents to the death of Nijjar, who was a Canadian citizen. The Indian government has denied involvement.

While some publications appeared to imply the updated travel advisory (archived here) was due to diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the revelation, Global Affairs Canada said none of the travel advisory updates were related to the allegations about Nijjar's death.

"A number of our Travel Advice and Advisories (TAA) pages, including the page for India, were updated on September 18 as part of pre-scheduled and routine maintenance in the section on travel health information provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada," said Charlotte MacLeod, a spokeswoman for Global Affairs Canada.

Security advisories about violence and terrorist activity in the regions of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as near the border with Pakistan, appeared on India's TAA page before Trudeau's announcement. Based on a review of online archives, travel advisories for these same regions have been present on the Government of Canada's website since at least February 2014.

Health Canada also confirmed to AFP that the updates were made to the page on September 18, 2023 to clarify language around the government's warnings for Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B in the country. India is not the only country that has these types of health advisories.

Sikh separatists

The Khalistan movement seeks to establish a homeland for Sikhs in the Punjab region of India.

The Indian government has outlawed the movement and listed several associated groups as "terrorist organizations" following violent confrontations between hardliners and the country's armed forces in the 1980s. Many of the movement's current supporters are in the Sikh communities of Australia, Britain and Canada.

Trudeau's revelations about Nijjar's death led to diplomats from both countries being expelled.

Canada has not issued any travel advisories in response to the tensions, but India issued travel warnings for citizens visiting Canada and said on September 21 it would be suspending visa services in Canada.