India has suspended visa providers for Canadian residents amid an escalating row over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil.

Visa service supplier BLS posted a message from India’s mission blaming “operational reasons” for the choice.

Tensions flared this week after Canada mentioned it was investigating “credible allegations” linking India with the homicide of the separatist chief.

India angrily rejected the allegation calling it “absurd”.

Analysts say relations between the international locations, which have been strained for months, at the moment are at an all-time low.

The message in regards to the suspension of visas was first posted on the BLS web site on Thursday.

“Important notice from Indian Mission: Due to operational reasons, with effect from 21 September 2023, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice,” it learn.

India’s overseas ministry refused to touch upon the matter and requested the BBC to confer with the BLS web site.

The transfer comes a day after India issued an advisory urging its residents travelling to or residing in Canada to “exercise utmost caution” in view of the “growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada”.

Delhi mentioned that some current threats had been directed at its diplomats and a few Indians “who oppose the anti-India agenda”.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned on Monday that intelligence companies had been investigating whether or not “agents of the government of India” had been concerned within the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen – India had designated him a terrorist in 2020.

Nijjar was shot lifeless in his automobile by two masked gunmen outdoors a Sikh temple on 18 June in British Columbia.

“Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” Mr Trudeau advised the Canadian parliament on Monday.

India reacted strongly, saying that Canada was making an attempt to “shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists” who had been given shelter there.

The Indian authorities has usually reacted sharply to calls for by Sikh separatists in Western international locations for Khalistan, or a separate Sikh homeland.

The Khalistan motion peaked in India within the Eighties with a violent insurgency centred in Sikh-majority Punjab state.

It was quelled by pressure and has little resonance in India now, however continues to be in style amongst some within the Sikh diaspora in international locations resembling Canada, Australia and the UK.

Canada has the best variety of Sikhs outdoors Punjab and has seen a number of pro-Khalistan protests and demonstrations.

In June, studies mentioned India had raised a “formal complaint” with Canada in regards to the security of its diplomats there.

BBC News India is now on YouTube. Click here to subscribe and watch our documentaries, explainers and options.