Amidst ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, another report of the indefinite suspension of visa services for Canadian nationals by the Indian government has come to the fore.

Although reportedly there hasn’t been a formal announcement of the visa service suspension, BLS International, the company responsible for managing visa application centres in Canada, posted a message on its Canadian website, stating, “Important notice from the Indian Mission: Due to operational reasons, with effect from September 21, 2023 [Thursday], Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice.”

Further, an Indian official confirmed the suspension without much details and said, “The language is clear and it says what it intends to say.”

Mention must be made that, post-COVID-19 pandemic, it is the first time India has suspended visa services.