India has resumed the issuance of e-visas for Canadian tourists and business travelers, marking the end of a two-month suspension. The decision, effective Wednesday, comes after a diplomatic dispute between the two nations over Ottawa's allegations of potential Indian government involvement in the murder of a Canadian Sikh separatist leader. While the move is expected to alleviate tensions to some extent, a significant improvement in relations between the two countries is not anticipated in the immediate future.

An Indian government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to a lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly, confirmed the resumption of e-visa services for Canadian nationals. However, it remains uncertain whether this decision will lead to a substantial thaw in relations with Ottawa.

Indian eVisa facility for all eligible Canadian citizens has been restored w.e.f. 22 November 2023. See the Notice for further details. eVisa may be applied at https://t.co/MEHlrWhNnW @MEAIndia @cgivancouver @IndiainToronto @DDNewslive @PIB_India @ANI @WIONews @htTweets… pic.twitter.com/YKzKkQaRKn

— India in Canada (@HCI_Ottawa) November 22, 2023

E-visas for Canadian citizens are exclusively issued for tourism and business purposes. This development follows the earlier resumption of visas under four out of the 13 categories that were suspended in September.

The diplomatic rift escalated when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informed the Canadian parliament that his government was actively investigating credible allegations linking Indian government agents to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, in a Vancouver suburb. Nijjar was an advocate for the decades-long, albeit now marginalized, movement to establish an independent Sikh homeland from India known as Khalistan.

The resumption of e-visa services is a notable step in the ongoing diplomatic efforts to navigate and manage the strained relations between India and Canada.