India-Canada Tensions And Your Flight To India: What Every Indo-Canadian Needs To Know Before Booking In 2026

Imagine this. You have been in Canada for fifteen years. You have your PR card. Your parents are in Punjab. Your sister is getting married in Chandigarh in November. You have already told everyone you are coming. And then one morning you open your phone and see a headline: visa services suspended. Flights cut. Diplomatic crisis.

That is not a hypothetical situation. That is exactly what happened to hundreds of thousands of Indo-Canadians between 2023 and 2024. And even now, in 2026, with the relationship officially in "reset" mode, the situation on the ground for travellers is more complicated than the headlines suggest.

This guide covers the full picture. The political history, the real impact on flights and visas, what is happening right now in 2026, and the practical checklist every Indo-Canadian should go through before booking a single ticket.

The Background: How Did We Get Here?

To understand what is happening with India-Canada flights today, you need to understand what broke the relationship in the first place. Because the consequences of that breakdown are still being felt by real travellers right now.

June 2023: Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s Killing

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a 45-year-old Sikh leader and president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. On 18 June 2023, hewas shot dead in the gurdwara parking lot. Nijjar had been declared a "terrorist" by the Indian government in 2020 for his alleged links to the Khalistan movement, which advocates for an independent Sikh homeland. He denied those allegations.

On September 18, 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Parliament something that sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles worldwide: Canadian intelligence had "credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Indian government" and Nijjar's killing. He named a foreign government on the floor of Parliament. That had never happened in Canadian history.

India called the allegations "absurd and motivated," expelled a senior Canadian diplomat, and the relationship entered freefall.

Source: CBC News timeline of Canada-India tensions

September 2023: Visa Services Suspended

Within days of Trudeau's statement, India suspended all visa services for Canadian citizens. Every category. Tourist, student, business, medical, emergency. All of it, effective September 21, 2023.

The notice from BLS International, the agency that processes Indian visas in Canada, simply read: "Due to operational reasons, with effect from 21 September, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice."

For the Indo-Canadian community, the timing was brutal. The suspension hit right as the fall travel and wedding season was beginning. Diwali, family weddings, winter visits, all of it suddenly in limbo.

Bobby Sidhu, a Mississauga paralegal, told The Globe and Mail he had put on hold plans to visit his family's ancestral property in Punjab. "After a few months of tension, finally there's some good news," he said later when partial services resumed. He had heard of other families in the large Indo-Canadian community who had to cancel their trips entirely.

Santosh Sandhu, who had already paid for flights in October, stood in line outside the BLS office in Surrey, unable to get answers. "The conflict has left us all distraught," she told CBC News.

Immigration lawyer Raj Sharma put it plainly: "Whenever we deal with international disputes, it's the ordinary people who find themselves caught in the crossfire."

And Nazir Karnai, president of Explore India Journeys, a Vancouver-based travel agency, told CBC News: "It was devastating. Our phone started ringing and people had fears. We had more than 500 people booked to travel to India between October and March, but only 10 per cent of them had a visa in hand."

October 2023: Diplomatic Expulsions and IRCC Staff Slashed

India demanded Canada reduce its 62 diplomats in India to just 21. Canada was effectively told to remove 41 of its diplomatic staff. The demand was reported by both The Financial Times and The Associated Press.

Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly confirmed 41 diplomats had left India. This triggered one of the most consequential downstream effects for everyday Indo-Canadians: IRCC, Canada's immigration authority, had to slash its own staff in India.

As confirmed in official IRCC documentation, the number of Canada-based IRCC employees at the High Commission in New Delhi was cut from 27 to just 5. Offices in Bengaluru and Chandigarh were effectively shut down. IRCC processing offices serving millions of applicants collapsed almost overnight.

The direct consequences, per IRCC's own parliamentary briefing notes:

• Delays in overall processing times for all applications from India
• Delays in responses to applicant enquiries
• Delays in returning documents to applicants
• Estimated 17,500 fewer final decisions for the India caseload by end of 2023

India was Canada's largest source country for permanent residents, accounting for 27 percent of all PR admissions in 2022, 45 percent of international students, and 22 percent of temporary foreign workers. The staffing collapse landed like a hammer on that entire pipeline.

October 2024: The Crisis Deepens, More Diplomats Expelled

Just when things seemed to be slowly stabilising, the crisis hit a second peak in October 2024.

Canada's RCMP announced it had identified Indian government agents as being behind Nijjar's killing, and named six Indian diplomats including High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma as "persons of interest" in the investigation.

India's response was immediate. The High Commissioner and five other targeted diplomats were recalled. India expelled six Canadian diplomats from India, including the acting High Commissioner, giving them until Saturday to leave.

Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly issued a formal statement, confirmed on the Government of Canada website: "Canada has provided credible, irrefutable evidence of ties between agents of the Government of India and the murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil."

By October 2024, both countries had reduced their diplomatic presence to skeleton crews. The Al Jazeera timeline noted that India had, at this point, characterised Canada as a "safe haven for terrorists" and accused the Trudeau government of harbouring Khalistan movement supporters. Al Jazeera

In Saskatchewan, an Indian immigrant told CBC: "If the conditions deteriorate further, the last thing I would want would be my work authorization getting affected." It was a sentiment echoed across Canada's Indian diaspora. Source: CBC News Saskatchewan

A Brief Timeline: The Full History at a Glance

Sources: CBC News, Al Jazeera, PM Canada official site

Where Things Stand in 2026: The "Reset" That Is Still a Work in Progress

Here is the honest picture of 2026 for Indo-Canadian travellers.

The Good News: Political Thaw Is Real

When Mark Carney became Prime Minister in 2025, he made resetting the India relationship a stated priority. The results have been visible.

Carney met Modi at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis in June 2025, at the G20 in Johannesburg in November 2025, and then made his first bilateral visit to India in March 2026. That visit produced a joint statement from the Prime Ministers of both countries, a $2.6 billion uranium supply deal, over $5.5 billion in commercial agreements, and a commitment to conclude a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by end of 2026.

"Prime Minister Carney has not even completed one year in office, yet our relations have leapt forward by a light year," Modi said publicly. Source: CNBC

As of late May 2026, India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal visited Ottawa for trade talks, with both sides describing the relationship as completely changed. Source: CBC News

The Complicated News: The Nijjar Case Has Not Gone Away

The political thaw is real. But the legal investigation into Nijjar's killing is ongoing. The RCMP has made arrests. The case is moving through the courts. It has not been resolved, and it sits in the background of every diplomatic conversation.

The Canadian government had accused Indian Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah, a close ally of Modi, of being involved in plots targeting Sikh separatists in Canada. India has emphatically denied this. That accusation has not been formally withdrawn.

What this means practically: the relationship is warmer, but it is not back to pre-2023 levels. It is a managed normalisation, not a clean slate.

The Flight Reality in 2026: Cuts Are Happening Right Now

This is where Indo-Canadian travellers need to pay close attention.

In May 2026, Air India announced significant cuts to its Canada-India flight schedule. According to CBC News and confirmed by aviation tracker Cirium:

• Delhi-Toronto: cut from 10 weekly round trips to 7 (a 35% reduction)
• Delhi-Vancouver: cut from 7 weekly (daily service) to just 5 per week

Air India's CEO Campbell Wilson confirmed in an internal memo to staff: "This is in response to the massive rise in jet fuel prices which, together with airspace closures and longer flying routes, has caused many of our international flights to become unprofitable to operate."

In total, Air India's round-trip flights to Canada dropped from 48 in March 2026 to just 31 in May: a 35 percent decline in less than two months.

The impact on fares has been immediate. Average round-trip economy fares on the Canada-Delhi corridor, which had been lower than the previous year for much of early 2026, jumped 24 percent year-over-year to $1,963 by late April 2026. That is a much larger jump than international flights overall, which rose 11 percent year-over-year in the same period. Source: Travelweek Canada

More cuts on the way. It is expected that Air India will further reduce its schedule in July 2026 unless fuel prices stabilise. The fuel cost spike is tied to the US-Iran conflict, which has caused airspace closures and longer routing for flights that would previously have passed over Iranian airspace.

Air India also added a fuel surcharge of US$280 (approximately CAD $383) per round-trip passenger from North America on April 10, 2026. Source: Daily Hive

Air Canada, for context, continues to offer daily service from Toronto to Delhi but has not restored non-stop Vancouver-Delhi service (which it halted during COVID-19 and never brought back).

What This All Means for You Practically

Let us break this down the way you would actually think about it before booking.

Question 1: Do I Still Need a Visa, or Does My OCI Card Cover Me?

Here is some good news if you are of Indian origin and hold an OCI card. You do not need a visa. Never have, never will, as long as the card stays valid. It gives you lifelong, multiple-entry access to India, which is one less thing to stress about in an already complicated booking process.

But there is a new wrinkle as of April 1, 2026. Every single traveller entering India now has to fill out an e-Arrival Card online, and that includes OCI holders. This has to be done within 72 hours of landing, through India's Visa Su-Swagatam portal. It sounds like a small bureaucratic step, but skip it and you could genuinely be turned away at the airport. Set a reminder on your phone for this one.

Now, if you are a Canadian citizen without Indian roots, or you just never got around to applying for an OCI card, you are still going to need a regular Indian visa. The good news here too: things have eased up a lot since the chaos of 2023. Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver consulates are all processing most visa categories again. Still, do not assume it will go smoothly just because it did for your cousin last month. Check BLS International Canada for the latest status before you apply, because this is a relationship that has had a habit of changing on short notice.

Question 2: Is It Safe to Travel to India Right Now?

This is probably the question weighing on most people's minds, and the honest answer is: mostly, yes, with some real exceptions depending on where exactly you are headed.

Global Affairs Canada has India sitting at a Level 2 advisory, which translates to "exercise a high degree of caution." That has been the standing guidance since early 2025, and it has not moved since.

However, specific regions carry higher-level warnings:

If you are visiting family in Punjab, Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, or any other major urban centre, the advisory does not restrict your travel. The Level 2 designation reflects general terrorism risk across India (primarily affecting government and security forces, not tourists) rather than any specific risk for Indo-Canadian visitors.

Here is the rewritten version of just that section, with the same fix applied: breaking the bolded-label-then-flat-statement pattern and varying the rhythm so it doesn't read like a template being filled in.

Question 3: Are Flights Running Normally?

Short answer: there are fewer of them, and they cost more than they did at the start of 2026.

Let's start with Vancouver, since that is where the squeeze is being felt hardest. Air India has trimmed Delhi-Vancouver down to about 5 flights a week, a clear step down from the daily service travellers were used to earlier this year. If you are hunting for affordable flights from Vancouver to India, give yourself more runway than usual, or look at routing through Toronto, Dubai, or London instead of waiting on a direct seat that may not show up when you want it.

Toronto is holding up better. Air Canada's non-stop to Delhi is still flying daily, no change there. Air India's Toronto-Delhi schedule did get trimmed too, down to 7 flights a week from 10, but with Air Canada picking up the slack, Toronto travellers have more breathing room than those flying out of Vancouver.

And the fares reflect all of this. Finding genuinely discounted flights to India from Canada takes more digging than it did six months ago. Less Air India capacity, fresh fuel surcharges, and almost no competition on the Vancouver route specifically have all pushed prices up together. Your best shot at a reasonable fare right now is booking 3 to 4 months ahead rather than waiting for a last-minute deal that may not come.

Question 4: What If My PR Card or PRTD Gets Delayed Because of IRCC Staffing in India?

If you are a PR currently in India and your card has expired, read this part twice.

The diplomatic mood has improved in 2026, but IRCC's actual presence on the ground in India has not bounced back to where it was before 2023. New Delhi's High Commission is still running on a much smaller team than before, and the IRCC offices in Bengaluru and Chandigarh remain shut in practice, even if they technically still exist on paper.

So if your PR card has expired while you are in India, do not sit on it. Get your Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) application moving through VFS Global as early as you possibly can. Leave it to the final week before your flight and you are gambling with your travel plans. Give yourself a realistic buffer of 4 to 6 weeks for PRTD processing out of India right now.

Note: Official VFS Global Canada locations in India are in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. Visit VFS Global Canada-India for current hours and submission requirements.

Question 5: What About IRCC Applications Still in Process?

If you have a PR renewal, citizenship application, sponsorship, or other IRCC application in process, the good news is that 89 percent of India applications have always been processed outside India, through IRCC's global network. The Carney government's diplomatic improvements have not yet translated into a formal rebuild of IRCC's India presence. Delays should still be expected on applications that require in-country intervention.

Question 6: What Is the 730-Day Rule and Does Any of This Affect It?

If you are a PR who has been in India longer than planned because of the visa suspension, flight disruptions, or family circumstances tied to the diplomatic crisis, your residency obligation clock was still ticking. The 730-day rule requires Canadian PRs to be physically in Canada for 730 days in any five-year rolling period. Political tensions between the two countries do not automatically grant you an exemption, though extended absences due to genuinely extraordinary circumstances can sometimes be considered under Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) grounds.

Related Blogs: Canadian PR holders traveling to India — PRTD, 730-day rule & what happens if you stay too long

If you have spent significant time in India during the peak of the crisis (2023 to 2024) and are concerned about your residency obligation, consult an RCIC or immigration lawyer before your next entry into Canada.

The Practical Checklist: What to Verify Before You Book

Print this out if you need to.

Before booking your flight:

• Check the Government of Canada travel advisory for India for your specific destination region
• Verify current Air India and Air Canada schedules, which are fluctuating in mid-2026 due to fuel-related cuts
• Compare fares across multiple carriers; with Air India cutting capacity, Emirates via Dubai, Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, and Lufthansa via Frankfurt are all worth checking for cheap flights Vancouver to India deals
• If flying from Vancouver, note that Air India's Vancouver-Delhi service is now 5x weekly, not daily. Book your departure day carefully around available schedules

Your documents:

• Valid passport with at least 6 months' validity remaining
• OCI card (if applicable) plus the mandatory e-Arrival Card completed within 72 hours before arrival at ivfrt.gov.in
• Valid PR card or PRTD for return to Canada
• If your PR card expires during your trip, apply for a PRTD via VFS Global India well before your return date

If you are not an OCI holder:

• Verify current Indian visa service status at BLS International Canada
• Apply for your visa well in advance; do not assume same processing times as pre-2023

Monitor these official sources for any changes:

• Global Affairs Canada India advisory
• High Commission of India Ottawa for visa service updates
• IRCC official notices for any processing changes
• Air India official schedule

What If Things Heat Up Again? What to Watch For

The Carney-Modi reset is real, but it is fragile. Here is what would signal a deterioration worth paying attention to before you travel:

• Any new developments in the Nijjar court case that publicly implicate named Indian officials
• Any new Indian government travel advisory warning citizens about safety in Canada
• Any suspension of visa services (the BLS International website would be first to show this)
• Any reduction in consular staffing at either country's missions
• Flight schedule changes at Air India or Air Canada on the Canada-India corridor

If any of these happen while you have an upcoming trip, do not cancel immediately. But check your visa validity, confirm your return documents, and have a flexible flight booking if possible.

Or just get in touch with us and we’ll guide you forth. :) 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Indian visas available for Canadians right now in 2026? 

Yes. Entry, business, medical, conference, and e-visas are all available at Indian consulates in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver as of mid-2026. The complete suspension of 2023 has not been reinstated. Always verify current status at BLS International Canada before applying.

Has Air India stopped flying to Vancouver? 

No. Air India has reduced, not cancelled, its Vancouver-Delhi service. It is currently operating approximately 5 round trips per week as of May 2026, down from daily service. More reductions are possible in July if fuel costs do not stabilise.

Do I need to declare anything special at Indian customs because I am a Canadian PR? 

No. Your immigration status in Canada has no bearing on Indian customs procedures. You enter India on your Indian passport (if you hold one) or your Canadian passport with a valid visa or OCI card. Complete the e-Arrival Card before landing.

Is it safe to travel to Punjab, Delhi, or Mumbai right now? 

Yes. The Government of Canada's Level 2 advisory for mainland India, including Punjab, Delhi, and Mumbai, does not restrict travel to these regions. The advisory reflects a general terrorism risk across India affecting security forces, not Indo-Canadian visitors specifically.

What if my PR card expires while I am in India and IRCC processing is slow? 

Apply for a PRTD through VFS Global in India as soon as you realise your card will expire before your return. Build in at least a 4 to 6 week buffer. Contact VFS Global Canada-India for current submission procedures.

Will the political situation affect my IRCC sponsorship or PR application? 

Possibly, in terms of processing timelines. IRCC's India staffing is still reduced from pre-2023 levels despite the political thaw. Applications requiring in-country processing may still face delays.

Ready to Book? Know the Route Before You Go

Booking a flight between Canada and India right now means navigating a changed landscape: fewer Air India flights, higher fares, and a route network that looks different from two years ago.

If you are looking for cheap flights Vancouver to India deals, or simply want someone who books Canada-India flights daily to help you find the right fare, EazyFares is worth a call before you book anything online.

We specialise in Canada-to-India flights and have been doing this long enough to know which carriers are running promotions, when Air India cuts capacity, which connecting hubs save time from Vancouver, and how to structure a booking that gives you flexibility if your plans need to change.

With a 4.9-star Google rating and five-star Facebook reviews from Indo-Canadian travellers across the country, we know this route better than most.

Whether you are looking for affordable flights from Vancouver to India, searching for discounted flights to India from Canada during a reduced-capacity period, or just want the latest EazyFares Canada-India flight updates and deals before committing to a booking, we are reachable 24/7 with no hidden fees and access to multiple airline partners.