India denies Canada’s allegations of election interference
New Delhi has denied “insinuations” made against it in an official Canadian report into allegations of interference by foreign governments in Canada’s elections. In a strongly worded reaction, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it rejects the report’s findings and countered that, in reality, it is Ottawa that has consistently interfered in India’s internal affairs.
“This has also created an environment for illegal migration and organized criminal activities. We reject the report’s insinuations on India and expect that the support system enabling illegal migration will not be further countenanced,” the foreign ministry said.
The issue of India’s alleged interference in Canadian elections has been a point of contention between the two countries. In June 2023, Canada’s National Security Advisor Jody Thomas named India among the top “sources” of foreign interference in Canada. Later that year, outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Justice Marie-Josée Hogue to lead a commission of inquiry into allegations of such interference from abroad.
In its final report, released on Tuesday, the commission suggested that the Indian government is suspected of using “proxy agents” and of “clandestinely” providing funding for “various Canadian politicians in an attempt to secure the election of pro-India candidates or gain influence over candidates who take office.” The report named China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran as other key actors of foreign interference.
Relations between Canada and India have sunk to a new low since September 2023, when Trudeau accused India of being involved in the targeting of Sikh separatist leaders in Canada. These activists, who support the Khalistan movement, advocate the creation of a separate Sikh nation-state carved out of India’s Punjab region.
In October last year, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police accused Indian diplomats and consular officials in Canada of using their positions to secretly gather information for the Indian government, either directly or through agents and other individuals. This led to a diplomatic tit-for-tat in which the countries expelled each other’s diplomats, including high commissioners.
New Delhi has denied all allegations and accused the Trudeau government of pursuing a “deliberate strategy” of discrediting India for domestic political gain. The Sikh diaspora in Canada is a substantial voting bloc and, while radical Khalistan supporters make up a relatively small but vocal segment of this community, it holds significant influence.
The case of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a self-professed peaceful separatist who was gunned to death in British Columbia in June 2023, has reportedly been connected to another incident relating to the Khalistan movement. US prosecutors alleged last year that Indian officials were involved in a plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent Sikh separatist leader based in New York. Pannun holds both US and Canadian citizenship.
