India, set to host the IOC Session from October 15 to 17, stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens due to "security threats" following an escalating row over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's accusations that India may have been behind the killing forced an angry reaction from the Narendra Modi Government, calling it "absurd".

Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was shot dead outside a temple in Surrey, British Columbia, in June.

No arrests have been made yet with Trudeau saying there is credible intelligence linking Indian agents to the murder.

This leads to uncertainty over the participation of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) in Mumbai next month, including IOC honorary member Richard Pound and IOC member Tricia Smith.

"The IOC has learned about the visa situation for Canadians going to India through media reports," the IOC told insidethegames when asked about the situation.

"We are following up with our Indian counterparts in preparation for the IOC Session."

The COC also said they are "monitoring the situation".

Nijjar supported the Khalistan movement, which seeks an independent homeland for Sikhs in India’s Punjab region.

Talks over a potential trade deal between the two nations have paused over the diplomatic row.

United States Ambassador to Canada David Cohen said that "shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners" told Canada about India's involvement in the killing.

America has urged India to cooperate with Canada on efforts to investigate the issue.

The two countries have a great relationship with Canada being a popular destination for Indians seeking education abroad.

Tourism numbers suggest more than 80,000 Canadians travelled to India in 2021.

The Session at the financial hub of India will see many crucial decisions taken, including on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

A host city for the 2030 Winter Olympics was initially on the agenda before the IOC decided to that push that back because of issues surrounding proposals from Sapporo in Japan and Vancouver in Canada.