By Annunthra Rangan
India-Canada relations, once cherished by strong trade ties and a large Indian diaspora, have steadily deteriorated in recent years. India has accused Canada of sympathising with the Khalistan movement, while Canada has alleged that Indian officials are interfering in its domestic politics. The relationship reached a breaking point with Trudeau’s explosive statement in parliament about India’s role in Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination.
Relations between India and Canada have reached an unprecedented low after Canadian authorities accused Indian diplomats of engaging in “criminal” activities within Canada, including homicide, extortion, intimidation, coercion, and harassment. In response to these allegations, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, including India’s high commissioner, citing their involvement in threatening behaviour. India swiftly retaliated by expelling six senior Canadian diplomats.
These developments have intensified accusations from activists and Western officials, claiming that the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been conducting a campaign of transnational repression, particularly targeting critics in Canada and the United States. India has firmly dismissed these allegations as “absurd,” while also accusing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of pursuing a “political agenda” aimed at bolstering his domestic support.
India and Canada, once close partners, now face a diplomatic rift, exacerbated by the killing of Nijjar, who was shot outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, in June last year. Nijjar, an Indian-born Canadian citizen, had been campaigning for an independent Sikh state, Khalistan, to be carved out of India’s Punjab region. While the movement is banned in India, it has gained traction among the Punjabi diaspora, particularly in countries like Canada, the US and the UK.
The Indian government had labelled Nijjar a terrorist in 2020, accusing him of involvement in Khalistani-related violence. His assassination, which occurred after he had long been wanted by Indian authorities, has intensified the already strained relations between India and Canada. The situation escalated when Trudeau publicly stated that Canadian intelligence had found “credible” evidence linking Indian government agents to Nijjar’s murder. In response, India dismissed these claims as “ludicrous” and accused Canada of harbouring individuals involved in terrorist activities and anti-India campaigns.
Most recently, the Canadian police accused Indian diplomats of being involved in a broader “criminal network” that allegedly carried out homicides, harassed Canadian Sikhs and extorted individuals for information. They also suggested that Indian agents were working with Lawrence Bishnoi, a notorious Indian mob boss, to carry out targeted attacks. Canadian officials claimed to have evidence implicating India’s top diplomat in Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, in Nijjar’s assassination.
The diplomatic fallout has been severe. Following Trudeau’s allegations, Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomat, which led to India’s reciprocal expulsion of a senior Canadian diplomat. India also ordered 41 Canadian diplomats to leave the country and suspended visa services for Canadian citizens. The situation worsened earlier this year when Canadian authorities arrested three Indian nationals accused of being part of the hit squad involved in Nijjar’s killing. The Canadian police have since revealed that they are investigating possible links between these individuals and the Indian government, a claim that India has strongly denied. India’s Ministry of External Affairs dismissed these allegations as politically motivated, aimed at improving Trudeau’s domestic standing amid his declining popularity.
Trudeau has doubled down on the accusations, stating at a press conference that Canada had “clear and compelling evidence” of Indian government’s involvement in activities that threaten public safety. He revealed that he had directly discussed these concerns with Modi and that senior national security officials from both countries had met in Singapore, where Canada shared the “evidence” it had gathered. India has maintained that Ottawa has failed to provide credible evidence linking Indian agents to Nijjar’s murder. Delhi’s frustration with Canada has been compounded by what it perceives as Canadian leniency towards Sikh separatists and Khalistani sympathisers, many of whom reside in Canada’s large Sikh community, the largest outside India.
Accusations of Canada fostering support for the Khalistan movement are not new. India has long been critical of the Trudeau government for its perceived inaction on separatist activities within Canada, alleging that political motives—largely aimed at securing votes from Canada’s sizable Sikh community—are behind the inaction. This criticism was evident during Trudeau’s 2018 visit to India, which was marred by controversy after a convicted Khalistani terrorist was invited to a Canadian government event. The diplomatic row has deepened since the G-20 Summit in New Delhi earlier this year. Unlike other Western leaders, Trudeau did not engage in formal bilateral talks with Modi. The two leaders only met briefly on the sidelines, where Modi raised concerns about “anti-India activities” in Canada.
India-Canada relations, once cherished by strong trade ties and a large Indian diaspora, have steadily deteriorated in recent years. India has accused Canada of sympathising with the Khalistan movement, while Canada has alleged that Indian officials are interfering in its domestic politics. The relationship reached a breaking point with Trudeau’s explosive statement in parliament about India’s role in Nijjar’s assassination.
The consequences for the bilateral relationship are profound. Experts predict that the damage will not be easily repaired. Trudeau’s allegations are delivering a “major blow” to India-Canada ties. Both countries’ unwillingness to address each other’s grievances had plunged the relationship into a deep crisis. The case of Nijjar is part of a broader narrative of what some Western officials and Sikh activists describe as India’s campaign of transnational repression. This refers to actions taken by governments beyond their borders to silence or intimidate members of the diaspora. Other prominent Khalistani activists in the US, UK and Australia have also claimed to have received warnings about threats to their lives. In 2022, US authorities reportedly foiled an assassination plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist leader with dual US-Canadian citizenship.
Intelligence officials also allege that India has been involved in targeted killings of individuals in Pakistan, particularly Sikhs, as part of a broader strategy to eliminate threats on foreign soil. The Indian government has denied these accusations, asserting that it is being unjustly targeted by those sympathetic to the Khalistani cause.
The diplomatic spat has already impacted Canada’s international standing, particularly as it seeks to balance relations with rising global powers. Trudeau’s willingness to publicly challenge India mirrors his government’s approach to other nations like China and Saudi Arabia, where Canada has previously encountered diplomatic tensions.
As the situation unfolds, the US and its allies are closely monitoring developments. The Biden administration has expressed concern over the allegations and stressed the importance of a thorough investigation. However, balancing relations with both India and Canada will be a delicate task for Washington, given India’s strategic role in the Indo-Pacific and its importance in countering China.
India, for its part, may escalate its response if Trudeau’s accusations are not retracted. India could downgrade diplomatic relations further or take steps to reduce security at the Canadian embassy in Delhi. However, both nations are likely aware that restoring normal relations will be a long and challenging process.
For now, the India-Canada relationship remains at a historic low, and neither side seems prepared to back down. Bilateral relations between India and Canada have deteriorated to a critical point, with little or no indication of improvement in the near future.
Canada continues its investigation into the killing of Nijjar and the broader allegations of violence linked to India. The investigation involves collaboration with the Five Eyes alliance, which includes the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. India, on the other hand, has maintained that it has not yet seen sufficient evidence to support Canada’s allegations against its diplomats. As a result, Canada is likely to face increasing pressure to publicly release the evidence it claims to have uncovered and formally press charges.
The US has responded by expressing deep concern over the allegations of India’s involvement in attempted killings on US soil, stating it takes these claims “with utmost seriousness.” Earlier very recently, the US State Department confirmed that an Indian inquiry committee is scheduled to travel to Washington to assist in the investigation.
While Canada’s foreign minister Mélanie Joly acknowledged India’s cooperation with US authorities, she stressed that India had refused to engage with the Canadian investigation. This unfolding situation could have greater geopolitical consequences. India, as an emerging global power and key security and economic partner for countries like the US, UK and France, is critical to Western interests. However, these alliances could face strain if credible evidence emerges linking the Indian government to transnational repression efforts.
—The writer is a Research Officer at Chennai Centre for China Studies. Her research interests constitute China-WANA (West Asia and North Africa) relations and human rights