The Canadian government has lifted the enhanced security measures for passengers flying to India.
The office of Transport Minister Anita Anand confirmed to CBC News on Thursday that the additional measures had been “removed.”
Although the measures appeared to have been in place since at least last weekend, Anand stated on Monday that the extra security screening was being conducted for passengers travelling to India “out of an abundance of caution.”
According to reports, Air Canada in a notification informed passengers heading to Indian destinations over the weekend that due to heightened security mandates by Transport Canada, security wait times were expected to be longer than usual for their upcoming flights.
On Monday, an Air Canada spokesperson confirmed the development in an email, stating, “Transport Canada has introduced additional requirements for travellers to India, and Air Canada, like other carriers, is complying with these.”
On Sunday, Toronto Pearson Airport posted on X, stating, “Departing passengers may experience longer than usual wait times at international pre-board screening at Toronto Pearson this evening. If travelling, please check with your airline and leave plenty of time to catch your flight.”
It was unclear whether this was linked to the enhanced security measures that had been implemented.
The enhanced screenings, implemented by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), involved comprehensive checks of both passengers and their baggage before they could enter restricted areas at airports.
These measures were reportedly introduced in response to rising diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, which escalated following allegations by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) linking Indian government agents to various criminal activities in Canada, including murder and extortion. Canada also expelled six Indian diplomats, leading to a reciprocal move by India.
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