Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of supporting criminal activities in Canada during an Ottawa press conference on Monday. Trudeau addressed the growing rift between the two nations and discussed an upcoming meeting between their national security advisors in Singapore.
Trudeau revealed he had spoken with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the meeting’s criticality. Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc and Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly joined Trudeau at the press conference.
The Canadian leader alleged that India had erred by backing criminal acts against Canadians, including murder and extortion. Despite these claims, Trudeau expressed Canada’s willingness to work with India, recognizing the country’s status as a major democracy and valuable partner with deep historical, cultural, and economic ties.
Trudeau mentioned that intelligence agencies had suggested India’s potential involvement in the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, in Canada last summer. He stated that Canada initially approached India with this information, seeking cooperation to address the situation.
The Prime Minister outlined Canada’s efforts to keep India informed and collaborate on ensuring Canadian safety. He reported that India’s response involved denial and attacks on his character and the Canadian government’s integrity.
Canadian authorities attempted to work with India to protect Canadians and enable agencies to transition from intelligence gathering to police investigations. However, Trudeau stated that India rejected these efforts, leading Canada to disrupt operations of Indian diplomats linked to criminal organizations affecting Canadians.
The diplomatic crisis intensified after Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme claimed to have information about criminal activities conducted by Indian government agents. In response, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and summoned Canada’s Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler, condemning what they called “baseless targeting” of Indian diplomats in Canada.
This move followed Canada’s expulsion of six Indian diplomats, accusing them of involvement in an Indian government “campaign of violence.” India firmly rejected these allegations, calling them unfounded and accusing the Trudeau government of allowing violent extremists and terrorists to harass Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada.
The current tensions trace back to Trudeau’s parliamentary address last year, where he claimed “credible allegations” of India’s involvement in the death of Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, labeled a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was killed outside a gurdwara in Surrey in June 2023. India has consistently denied these allegations, deeming them “absurd” and “motivated,” while accusing Canada of harboring anti-India elements.
