Kunal Saini, a 21-year-old student from Hoshiarpur, is devastated as his dream of studying in Canada now seems uncertain. Arvind Sharma from the same town, whose son holds permanent residency in Canada, worries about the growing difficulties in securing a visa to visit him. With relations between India and Canada deteriorating, students in Punjab aspiring to study in Canada, and families with relatives in the North American country, are increasingly anxious about the challenges ahead.
As diplomatic ties between the two nations hit a new low, many people fear the impact on visa applications, making it harder to meet their loved ones in Canada. The situation escalated on Monday when India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced the recall of its high commissioner and other officials from Canada. This move comes in response to Ottawa’s allegations linking India’s envoy to an investigation into the killing of designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.