In the first sign that a diplomatic spat is affecting trade ties, India’s JSW Steel Ltd is slowing down the process to buy a stake in the steelmaking coal unit of Canada’s Teck Resources, Reuters news agency has reported, citing a source close to the discussions.
Ties between India and Canada deteriorated sharply after New Delhi and Ottawa expelled each other’s diplomats in a dispute over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in the Canadian province of British Columbia in June.
India on Thursday suspended visa services for Canadian citizens, a foreign ministry spokesperson said, citing security threats to its staff in its consulates in Canada.
The source said discussions between JSW Steel – India’s largest steelmaker by capacity – and Teck over the stake sale had slowed down, though work on the paperwork was going on.
“We will wait until the issue subsides,” the source told Reuters, declining to be identified as they were not authorised to talk to the press.
“We are not expecting things to go out of hand. We are doing the paperwork for the valuation, talking to banks and this is still happening,” the source added.
Post from www.aljazeera.com