Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has intensified the diplomatic dispute between Canada and India, accusing the Indian government of supporting criminal activities on Canadian soil. Speaking at a press conference in Ottawa, Trudeau expressed concern over the growing tensions between the two nations and highlighted the significance of an upcoming meeting between their national security advisors, scheduled for this weekend in Singapore.
“When I spoke to PM Modi at the end of last week, I highlighted how incredibly important this meeting between our national security advisors in Singapore this weekend was going to be. He was aware of that meeting, and I pressed upon him that it needs to be taken very, very seriously,” Trudeau said.
The Canadian Prime Minister was joined by Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly during the press conference, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Allegations of Criminal Activity and Diplomatic Fallout
Trudeau did not mince words when discussing the broader implications for Canada-India relations, alleging that the Indian government had made a “fundamental error” by supporting criminal actions targeting Canadians.
“The Indian government made a fundamental error in thinking that they could engage in supporting criminal activities against Canadians, here on Canadian soil, be it murder or extortion. This is absolutely unacceptable,” Trudeau asserted.
Despite these strong accusations, Trudeau emphasized Canada’s commitment to maintaining a cooperative relationship with India, despite the current diplomatic rift. He pointed to the longstanding ties between the two nations, including historical, business, and cultural links, while emphasizing the importance of cooperation between democracies in an increasingly unstable global environment.
“This is not a choice that Canada made to create a chill in Canada-India relations. India is an important democracy, a country with which we have deep historical people-to-people and business ties, especially in a time where instability around geopolitics means democracies have to stick together,” Trudeau explained.
Nijjar’s Killing and the Spark of Tensions
The diplomatic tensions between the two countries began last year when Trudeau addressed the Canadian Parliament, claiming that Canada’s intelligence agencies had “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, a Khalistani activist designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.
Trudeau elaborated on the issue during the press conference, explaining how the Canadian government approached India after discovering the intelligence linking them to Nijjar’s killing. He noted that the government’s first response was to seek cooperation from India, hoping to resolve the matter amicably.
“When we started to understand through intelligence agencies that India was possibly, if not probably, behind Nijjar’s killing, the killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil last summer, our first choice was to approach the government of India and say, ‘We know this has happened. Work with us to fix this,'” Trudeau said.
He added, “We don’t want to be having this fight, but obviously the killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil is not something that we can ignore as a country.”
Efforts for Cooperation Rebuffed by India
Trudeau further claimed that Canada had been transparent with India throughout the investigation, keeping Indian officials informed of all findings and attempting to collaborate to ensure accountability and prevent further criminal activities. He emphasized that the Canadian government had sought to handle the situation diplomatically by allowing intelligence agencies and law enforcement to conduct thorough investigations.
“We have simply said we’re going to allow our agencies to do the work, particularly to move from intelligence collection to police investigations that result in arrests, trials, and consequences within a rigorous, robust, and independent judicial system,” Trudeau explained.
However, Trudeau expressed disappointment that these efforts were repeatedly rebuffed by the Indian government. He claimed that instead of cooperating, Indian officials had denied the allegations, attacked Trudeau personally, and questioned the integrity of Canada’s government, police, and intelligence agencies.
“The response of the Indian government has been to deny, to obfuscate, to attack me personally and the integrity of the government of Canada and its officials and its police agencies,” he said.
Diplomatic Expulsions Deepen the Crisis
The diplomatic fallout worsened on Monday when India expelled six Canadian diplomats after summoning Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler. The Indian government conveyed that the targeting of their diplomats and officials in Canada was “completely unacceptable” and labeled Trudeau’s accusations as baseless.
This action followed Canada’s earlier expulsion of six Indian diplomats, with Reuters reporting that Canadian authorities had gathered evidence implicating these diplomats in a “campaign of violence” orchestrated by the Indian government.
India strongly rejected these claims, dismissing them as “preposterous” and part of a political agenda pushed by the Trudeau government. In a hard-hitting statement, India accused Trudeau of fostering hostility toward India by providing space for extremists and terrorists in Canada. The Indian government has long claimed that Canada allows anti-India elements, particularly Khalistani separatists, to operate freely within its borders.
Trudeau’s Calls for Accountability and Continued Dialogue
Despite the growing tensions, Trudeau reiterated that Canada’s top priority remains the safety of its citizens. He expressed frustration at India’s refusal to work collaboratively with Canadian law enforcement but reaffirmed his commitment to holding those responsible accountable through legal and diplomatic means.
“The Indian government rejected those advances and rejected our attempts to find some way through this. That brought us to this point of having to disrupt the chain of operations that go from Indian diplomats here in Canada to criminal organizations to direct violent impacts on Canadians right across this country,” Trudeau stated.
