Canadian official says Indian interference has ceased
A senior Canadian official expressed confidence that alleged interference by Indian government actors in Canadian domestic affairs is "not continuing." The statement comes after months of scrutiny regarding potential influence campaigns related to diaspora politics in Canada.
The assertion of a halt to Indian interference follows a period of intense diplomatic strain that began in September 2023. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly announced that Canadian intelligence was investigating "credible allegations" linking agents of the Indian government to the June 2023 assassination of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. India vehemently denied the accusations, calling them "absurd," which triggered a series of retaliatory diplomatic actions. Both nations expelled senior diplomats, and India temporarily suspended visa services for Canadians. The tensions were a significant setback to bilateral relations, including the pause of trade negotiations. In a major escalation in October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said it had evidence of their involvement in clandestine activities. India swiftly retaliated by expelling six Canadian diplomats, deepening the diplomatic crisis between the two countries. The recent statement about the cessation of these activities was made by an unnamed senior Canadian official on the eve of Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to India, signaling a potential thaw in relations. The official indicated that robust diplomatic engagement, including talks between national security advisers, led to this confidence. However, this view is not universally shared within Canada. The World Sikh Organization of Canada has labeled the official's comments as "utterly false," citing what it describes as ongoing surveillance and harassment of Sikh Canadians by Indian agents. Adding to the complexity, a January 2025 report from a Canadian foreign interference inquiry identified India as the second most active country, after China, involved in interfering in Canada's electoral process. A Liberal Member of Parliament, Sukh Dhaliwal, whose riding was the location of the 2023 assassination, has also publicly condemned the official's statement, asserting that it is inconsistent with the experiences of his community and the assessments of national security agencies. Canada's Public Safety Minister, Gary Anandasangaree, offered a more measured tone, stating there is "still a lot more work to do" regarding the security of Canadians, suggesting that concerns related to India are still under active review.
