New Delhi/IBNS: India has strongly slammed Canada for blocking an Australian news outlet's social media handles and webpages after it carried out a press conference by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong as well as an interview of the Indian Foreign Ministers.

Criticising the move, India said it highlights the hypocrisy of Canada towards freedom of speech and expression.

Jaishankar met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during his visit to Sydney and co-chaired the 15th Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue with Wong.

On being asked about the social media handles of Australia Today being blocked in Canada, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during his weekly media briefing on Thursday said: "We understand that social media handles and pages of this outlet, which is an important diaspora outlet, have been blocked and are not available for viewers in Canada. This happened a few hours after this particular handle carried the press conference of the External Affairs Minister with Penny Wong."

"We were surprised. It looks strange to us. Nonetheless, these are actions that yet again highlight the hypocrisy of Canada towards freedom of speech. In his media interactions, the External Affairs Minister spoke about three things: a pattern of Canada making allegations without evidence, the surveillance of Indian diplomats - which he termed unacceptable - and the political space being given in Canada to anti-India elements. So you can draw your conclusions from that on why the Australia Today channel was blocked."

Last week, the Canadian government informed some Indian consular officials that they have been under audio and video surveillance.

Calling the action a "flagrant violation" of diplomatic conventions, India said Canada cannot cite technicalities to justify its harassment and intimidation.

It has also lodged a protest with the Canadian government over the issue.