Ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit, Canada has turned a new page in its ties with India, which hit rock bottom in recent years under his predecessor, Justin Trudeau.
The main flashpoint was Trudeau’s allegation of India’s involvement in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by New Delhi in 2020 over Khalistani extremism.
Now, reversing his predecessor’s stance, the Mark Carney government says India is no longer linked to violent crimes on Canadian soil.
The remarks were made during a media briefing ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s upcoming visit to India, where senior officials highlighted progress in security talks and cooperation between Ottawa and New Delhi.
Senior Canadian officials have said Ottawa is no longer concerned about interference or repression by Indian agents.
“I really don’t think we’d be taking this trip if we thought these kinds of activities were continuing,” a senior Canadian official was quoted as saying by the Toronto Star.
The change in position follows years of tension between Ottawa and New Delhi over allegations of foreign interference and violent acts on Canadian soil. The renewed engagement comes as Canada seeks to advance both security and economic partnerships with India, a move that is receiving close attention from multiple sectors in Canada.
One senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Toronto Star, “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 diplomatic environment was previously strained after the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which resulted in public accusations from then-prime minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau had said there was “credible” evidence that “agents linked to the government of India had killed a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil.”
