How Canada’s new airport security measures will affect flyers to India

Canada has tightened its security checks for passengers travelling to India.

The officials have cited the measure as “an abundance of caution.”

The latest move coincides with the soaring diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

The new policies are already in effect; travellers departing from Toronto have noted obvious changes in the screening process.

Here’s all we know about it.

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Enhanced security screening

Federal Transport Minister Anita Anand told Canadian Broadcaster, CBC News, “Transport Canada has implemented temporary additional security screening measures for travellers to India out of an abundance of caution.”

She added passengers “may experience some screening delays while these measures are in place.”

Additionally, a government official told CBC News that the additional procedures will be implemented by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA).

The group is responsible for screening travellers and their belongings before they reach restricted areas of Canadian airports.

Passengers are physically screened by CATSA, carry-on bags are scanned through X-ray machines, and hand swabs are used to find traces on people as needed.

Due to these changes, Air Canada has recommended passengers travelling to India to be at the airport at least four hours before the departure of their trip and to anticipate long security lines.

A notification sent by Air Canada to fliers said, “Due to heightened security mandates by Transport Canada for all passengers travelling to India, security wait times are expected to be longer than anticipated for your upcoming flight.”

“To minimise any disruptions to your travel plans, we recommend you arrive four hours prior to your flight’s departure. We appreciate your patience and understanding,” the airline added.

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Possible reasons

Notably, Anand’s office statement did not mention any particular incidents behind the move to increase security measures.

The decision, however, comes just a month after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said that it had proof of “agents” connected to the Indian government engaging in organised crime in Canada, including harassment, extortion, coercion, and intimidation.

On the same day that RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme warned of “well over a dozen” credible and immediate risks to South Asians, particularly those involved in the pro-Khalistan movement, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats.

New Delhi refuted the claims and, in swift retaliation, asked six Canadian ambassadors to leave the country.

Moreover, the statement also comes after an Air India aircraft, en route from New Delhi to Chicago, was diverted to Canada’s Iqaluit following a bomb threat in October. Nevertheless, an investigation revealed no explosive device.

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Travel advisory issued

The Canadian government has also started cautioning its people planning to visit India about the Zika virus and terror attacks in a travel alert.

“Exercise a high degree of caution in India due to the threat of terrorist attacks throughout the country,” the alert read, as per News18.

“Exercise a high degree of caution in and around Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Mumbai. Consular services in person are temporarily unavailable in those cities or surrounding areas. If you need consular services, contact the High Commission of Canada in India, located in New Delhi. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa,” the alert further read.

The North American country has advised its citizens to avoid visiting Jammu and Kashmir, northeast India and Pakistan borders.

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India-Canada souring ties

India-Canada relations have been nosediving since Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an Indian-designated Khalistani terrorist, was assassinated last year. Ottawa claimed that India was involved in the assassination.

However, New Delhi has denied the accusations, describing them as “preposterous,” and accused Canadian PM Justin Trudeau of harbouring Khalistanis who are targeting Hindus in Canada in addition to planning against India.

Eventually, the two nations halted consulate operations and recalled their diplomats.

Recently, a surge in attacks on Hindu pilgrims in Canadian temples prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to denounce the “deliberate attack.”

India believes Trudeau is playing vote-bank politics by supporting Khalistani group and gain MP Jagmeet Singh’s support in the upcoming election. For those uninitiated, the Liberal Party’s popularity has fallen sharply and the polls indicate that it would lose badly to the opposition Conservative Party.

With inputs from agencies