OTTAWA – A senior government official, speaking on the eve of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India, stated that Canada now believes India has ceased plotting attacks on Canadian soil. The assertion marks a significant shift in tone from Ottawa, which previously accused New Delhi of involvement in the June 2023 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Sikh leader in Surrey, British Columbia.
“We have a very robust diplomatic engagement, including between national security advisers, and I think we can say we’re confident that that activity is not continuing or we would not be having this type of discussion,” the official said during a press briefing Wednesday, declining to provide further details. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.
The comments come as Carney embarks on a trade mission to India, Australia, and Japan, seeking to diversify Canada’s economic partnerships and reduce its reliance on the United States. The trip is intended to attract new investment and forge new trade deals, particularly as tensions with the U.S. Over tariffs have increased, according to reports from Reuters and Barron’s.
Canadian national security agencies have alleged that India initiated a campaign in 2022 to target activists in North America who support the Khalistan movement, which advocates for a separate Sikh state in India. The RCMP investigation into Nijjar’s death identified alleged links to Lawrence Bishnoi, a gang leader, purportedly contracted by Indian government actors. An Indian intelligence officer was too implicated in a separate plot to harm a Canadian citizen residing in the United States.
Following the allegations, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats. Carney’s subsequent efforts have focused on rebuilding ties with India, a move that has drawn criticism from some quarters. The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) swiftly denounced the government official’s comments as “utterly false,” stating they do not reflect the experiences of Sikh Canadians who report ongoing surveillance, harassment, and intimidation.
Just last weekend, Vancouver police issued a warning to Moninder Singh, a Canadian Sikh activist, regarding an imminent threat to his safety, as well as that of his wife and children. This was the fourth such warning Singh has received since 2022, according to the WSO. The organization claims to be aware of multiple instances in the past six months of individuals being surveilled by agents of the Indian government.
The senior government official declined to specify when Canada believed India halted its alleged campaign of transnational repression and foreign interference. “We have a mature, robust discussions with the government of Indian on these issues. And we have robust safeguards in place to avoid foreign interference,” the official stated. When pressed for a specific date, the official reiterated the ongoing nature of high-level engagement with India, emphasizing regular discussions at all levels of government.
Carney is scheduled to arrive in India on February 27, with the aim of bolstering trade relations and securing new partnerships. The visit proceeds despite ongoing concerns raised by the Sikh community and the recent threat warnings issued by Canadian law enforcement.