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Ottawa
India has expressed its dissatisfaction with Ottawa regarding recent accusations of interference in Canada’s domestic matters.
India has been accused by multiple agencies of engaging in foreign interference in their reports. The NSCIOP declared in June that India has become the second biggest foreign interference threat to Canada’s democratic institutions and processes, displacing Russia and after China.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) highlighted in its Public Report 2023 in May that significant actors of foreign interference and espionage in Canada and the West consist of China, Russia, Iran, and India. In 2023, these states and their intelligence services persisted in participating in a range of unfriendly foreign interference and espionage activities to promote their goals and interests.
The Public Inquiry’s Initial Report on Foreign Interference in Canada’s Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, led by Justice Marie-Josee Hogue, accused India of meddling to sway Canada’s stance towards Indian interests, especially concerning supporters of Khalistan.
In a statement issued last week by India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma said, “We completely reject politically motivated claims that India has interfered in Canadian elections. No concrete evidence has been shared for these claims to be evaluated. These allegations could, most probably, be based on hearsay, possibly peddled by Canada-based anti-India extremists and terrorists, whose sole aim is to disrupt Canada-India relations and meddle in India’s internal affairs.”
Following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement in the House of Commons on September 18 last year about “credible allegations” of a possible connection between Indian agents and the murder of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia three months prior, these accusations have gained more attention. Even though four Indian Nationals have been arrested in connection with the murder, the Indian aspect has not been confirmed yet, but the investigation in that direction is still ongoing.
