NEW DELHI: Canada has clarified that it does not believe India is currently linked to violent crimes on Canadian soil, signalling a potential easing of tensions ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India.
According to a report by Toronto Star, a senior Canadian official said during a background briefing that Ottawa is now confident such alleged activities are no longer ongoing.
“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,” the official said.
Another official indicated that the visit itself reflects this reassessment. “I really don’t think we’d be taking this trip if we thought these kinds of activities were continuing,” the official added.
The Prime Minister’s Office later said Canada would continue to address issues such as transnational repression, organised crime and criminal activity within its borders, while re-engaging with India through law enforcement and security channels.
The Toronto Star reported that this recalibration follows months of high-level security dialogue between the two countries. Communication between national security advisers and law enforcement agencies remains active, with engagement being pursued in a cautious, step-by-step manner.
Carney’s government views the visit as part of a broader strategy to stabilise relations with key global partners, especially in the Indo-Pacific. However, some Sikh community leaders in Canada have voiced concern, saying investigations into past allegations should proceed transparently even as diplomatic ties improve.
Carney’s ‘pragmatic’ reset with India
Mark Carney is scheduled to visit Mumbai and New Delhi, marking his first trip to India as Prime Minister. He is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with business leaders and officials, to expand cooperation in trade, energy, technology, artificial intelligence and defence.
Canada considers India a key economic partner. In 2024, bilateral trade between the two countries reached $30.8 billion. Both sides have discussed reviving negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), aimed at doubling trade to $70 billion by 2030.
Carney’s administration sees engagement with India as part of a broader push to diversify Canada’s trade partnerships amid global economic uncertainty.
However, the diplomatic reset has drawn criticism from some Sikh activists. Moninder Singh, a religious leader in British Columbia, told The Toronto Star that he had received multiple police warnings about threats to his life since Nijjar’s killing and described the renewed outreach as a betrayal.
Canadian officials maintain that security dialogue with India is ongoing. Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu said Canada can safeguard communities at home while pursuing economic engagement abroad.
Diplomatic row after Nijjar killing
Relations between Ottawa and New Delhi deteriorated sharply following the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023. Months later, then-prime minister Justin Trudeau told Parliament there were “credible allegations” linking Indian government agents to the killing.
India rejected the claims as “absurd.” The dispute led to reciprocal expulsions of diplomats, suspension of visa services and a freeze in trade negotiations.
New Delhi has maintained that Canada allowed space for extremist and secessionist elements. After Trudeau’s exit, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it was ready to rebuild ties based on “mutual trust and sensitivity,” with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating that the downturn stemmed from the “license given to extremist and secessionist elements” in Canada.
