Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has leveled unprecedented accusations against the Indian government, asserting that it brazenly coordinated violent crimes on Canadian soil to send a message about Ottawa’s approach to terrorism and incitement to hatred.
The allegations come as the Canadian police reveal startling new evidence tying Indian diplomats to violent attacks, further exacerbating tensions between the two nations.
The diplomatic fallout reached a boiling point this week when both countries expelled a total of 12 diplomats, including their respective top envoys. This tit-for-tat exchange, the most serious in 40 years, marks a dramatic decline in Canada-India relations and has captured global attention.
In his most direct comments yet, Trudeau testified on Wednesday during a formal public inquiry into foreign interference, accusing India of orchestrating violence in Canada. The Prime Minister emphasized the seriousness of the threat to Canadian sovereignty and security, stating that India’s actions were deliberate and reckless.
“The Indian government made a horrific mistake in thinking that they could interfere as aggressively as they did in the safety and sovereignty of Canada, and we need to respond in order to ensure Canadians’ safety,” Trudeau said.
He further elaborated that India’s objective was to demonstrate that Canada was not serious about dealing with issues of terrorism and violence. “It seems like folks within the Indian government have decided to create violence and unlawfulness in Canada as a way of demonstrating the point that they are trying to make,” Trudeau stated, underscoring the brazenness of India’s alleged actions.
Canada’s Western allies, particularly members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, have cautiously backed Trudeau’s assertions. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stressed that the allegations are significant and should be taken seriously.
“They’re serious allegations and we have wanted to see India take them seriously and cooperate with Canada’s investigation,” Miller said on Tuesday. He noted, however, that India’s government has “chosen an alternate path” by refusing to cooperate fully with the Canadian investigation.
In a related move, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks with Trudeau earlier this week. Following their conversation, the U.K. Foreign Office issued a statement calling for India to cooperate with Canada’s legal process, labeling it as “the right next step.”
In a dramatic turn of events, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) took the rare step on Monday of publicly disclosing evidence linking Indian diplomats to a series of violent acts on Canadian soil, including multiple homicides. Among the cases revealed was the high-profile killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh activist and supporter of the Khalistan movement, who was murdered in Surrey, British Columbia, in 2023.
Nijjar’s death, which Trudeau had previously cited in Parliament while accusing India of involvement, has now become a central piece in the growing allegations of Indian interference in Canada. Trudeau’s testimony on Wednesday shed new light on the timeline of the government’s understanding of the situation, revealing that Canadian officials had initially believed Nijjar’s killing to be gang-related. However, they changed their assessment after persistent pressure from the South Asian diaspora in Canada, as well as from lawmakers, led them to investigate potential links to the Indian government.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed that since Nijjar’s assassination, violent incidents in Canada tied to Indian diplomats have been on the rise. Joly has been an outspoken critic of India’s refusal to address Canada’s concerns, emphasizing that the Trudeau government cannot allow foreign interference to compromise the safety of its citizens.
“Such violence in Canada has only increased since the murder of Mr. Nijjar,” Joly said in a press conference. She added that the federal government is now taking all necessary measures to protect the integrity of Canadian democracy and its judicial processes.
The RCMP’s revelations are especially notable given the typically reserved nature of Canadian law enforcement in discussing ongoing investigations, especially in cases involving diplomatic immunity. These disclosures underscore the gravity of the situation and hint at a wider pattern of behavior by Indian diplomats that Canadian authorities believe involves a coordinated campaign of intimidation and violence.
The current diplomatic crisis between Canada and India is rooted in long-standing tensions, particularly over the issue of Khalistan, a separatist movement advocating for an independent Sikh state in the Indian state of Punjab. For decades, India has regarded Khalistan activists, many of whom are based in Canada, as a serious threat to its territorial integrity. In contrast, Canada, home to a significant Sikh diaspora, has often been accused by New Delhi of harboring separatists and failing to curb anti-India sentiments within its borders.
The situation worsened after the 2023 G20 summit in Delhi, where Trudeau raised the issue of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s murder with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Instead of addressing the allegations, Modi’s government responded aggressively through both the media and diplomatic channels. According to Trudeau, India sought to “undermine our government” and question “the integrity of our democracy.”
The accusations against Indian diplomats now threaten to further isolate India on the international stage, especially if Canada can substantiate its claims with concrete evidence. However, India’s considerable geopolitical clout, particularly in its relationships with the U.S. and U.K., means that Western nations must tread carefully in their responses.
The deteriorating relationship between Canada and India comes at a time when global geopolitics is undergoing significant shifts. India, with its rapidly growing economy and strategic importance in Asia, has become a key partner for many Western nations, including the U.S. and the U.K. India’s government has also positioned itself as a counterweight to China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region, further complicating Western responses to the allegations.
The Five Eyes nations, while standing by Canada, are navigating a delicate balancing act. For instance, Australia and New Zealand, both members of the intelligence alliance, have important trade and diplomatic ties with India. As a result, they have issued more muted responses, urging cooperation between the two countries without directly criticizing India.
Moreover, India’s role as the world’s largest democracy and its increasing involvement in multinational organizations like the Quad (the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia) add to the complexity of the situation. Trudeau’s government, which has struggled to maintain strong diplomatic relationships, faces a major challenge in ensuring that Canada’s international standing does not suffer as a result of this diplomatic crisis.
As the international community watches the unfolding crisis, both Canada and India must carefully navigate the next steps to avoid further escalation. Trudeau’s call for India to cooperate with Canada’s legal process is likely to be met with resistance in New Delhi, especially given Modi’s nationalist policies and his government’s track record of responding forcefully to criticism from abroad.
Analysts predict that this crisis could have long-term implications for Canada’s foreign policy, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. With the Five Eyes alliance standing cautiously behind Canada, the Trudeau government may push for more robust international mechanisms to prevent foreign interference in domestic affairs.
However, the rift also highlights the limits of Canada’s diplomatic influence when it comes to dealing with a global power like India. Unless both nations can find a way to de-escalate the situation, this episode may mark the beginning of a protracted period of strained relations between Ottawa and New Delhi.
The accusations of Indian diplomatic involvement in violent crimes on Canadian soil have thrown Canada-India relations into disarray and raised urgent questions about the future of global diplomacy. As Trudeau’s government seeks justice and accountability, the world is watching closely to see how this unprecedented situation unfolds. Whether India will cooperate with Canada’s investigation or whether the diplomatic rift will deepen remains to be seen, but the consequences of this crisis will undoubtedly be felt far beyond the two countries involved.
