As Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified before a Commission of Inquiry, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement asserting that Trudeau’s remarks only “confirm” New Delhi’s long-standing position: Canada has provided no evidence to support the serious allegations it has leveled against India and its diplomats. Trudeau’s testimony comes amid a significant diplomatic rift between the two nations.
On Wednesday, Trudeau acknowledged that he possessed only intelligence but no “hard evidentiary proof” when he accused Indian government agents of being involved in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. This admission raised further questions about the credibility of the allegations and the ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada.
In an early Thursday statement responding to media inquiries about Trudeau’s testimony, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized, “What we have heard today only confirms what we have been saying consistently all along — Canada has presented us no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations that it has chosen to level against India and Indian diplomats.” The MEA criticized Trudeau’s approach, stating that “the responsibility for the damage that this cavalier behaviour has caused to India-Canada relations lies with Prime Minister Trudeau alone.”
During his testimony at the public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada’s electoral processes, Trudeau claimed that Indian diplomats were allegedly collecting information on Canadians who oppose the Narendra Modi government and transmitting it to high-ranking officials within the Indian government as well as criminal organizations, such as the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
India has categorically rejected the attempts by Canadian authorities to associate Indian agents with criminal gangs operating in Canada. New Delhi also dismissed Ottawa’s assertions that it had shared any evidence regarding the Nijjar case, labeling them as inaccurate. Sources in New Delhi further refuted Trudeau’s earlier claims that India was conducting covert operations against Canadian nationals.
In response to the escalating diplomatic tensions, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced the withdrawal of its high commissioner from Canada after rejecting allegations that linked the envoy to a probe into Nijjar’s killing. The diplomatic row marks a significant downturn in the already strained relations between the two countries.
The deterioration in relations between India and Canada began following Trudeau’s allegations in September last year, which suggested possible Indian involvement in Nijjar’s assassination. New Delhi has consistently labeled Trudeau’s charges as absurd, asserting that the primary issue at stake is Canada’s tolerance of pro-Khalistan elements operating freely on Canadian soil.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was declared a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 last year. The implications of this case have heightened scrutiny on Canada’s handling of individuals associated with the Khalistani movement and have cast a shadow over the diplomatic ties between the two nations. As the situation continues to unfold, both sides remain entrenched in their respective positions, raising concerns about future diplomatic engagement and cooperation.
