Tensions between India and Canada have deepened further after India strongly rejected a report by the Canadian Foreign Interference Commission, which accused New Delhi of attempting to influence Canada’s 2021 federal elections. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed the allegations as baseless and, in a sharp rebuttal, turned the tables by accusing Canada of persistent interference in India's internal affairs. India asserted that Canada has been responsible for fostering an environment conducive to illegal migration and organized criminal activities, a claim that reflects growing friction between the two nations.
The inquiry, led by Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue, alleged that India was the second most active foreign country involved in electoral interference in Canada, only behind China. According to the report, India allegedly sought to influence the electoral process by using proxy agents to clandestinely support preferred candidates financially. The commission also accused India of employing disinformation as a key tactic in its foreign interference strategy. Furthermore, the report highlighted challenges in India-Canada relations, particularly concerning India’s long-standing security concerns over Khalistani separatism and its alleged influence in Canadian politics.
However, despite making serious allegations against India, the commission concluded that there was no concrete evidence of Canadian parliamentarians actively colluding with foreign governments to interfere with the electoral process. The MEA, in its official response, outrightly rejected the report’s insinuations and expressed its expectation that the support system enabling illegal migration and criminal activities would not be further tolerated by the Canadian government.
This report has added fuel to the fire in an already strained relationship between the two countries. Tensions initially escalated in 2023 when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of being involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The situation worsened after Canada identified several Indian diplomats as "persons of interest" in its investigation into Nijjar’s death, prompting India to withdraw its diplomats from Canada and expel six Canadian diplomats in retaliation. Since then, diplomatic relations between the two nations have remained at a low point, with trade negotiations stalling and both governments continuing to issue strong statements against each other.
The latest developments indicate that mutual distrust is deepening, with India viewing Canada’s actions as a deliberate provocation and Canada perceiving India's diplomatic stance as obstructionist. Given the existing tensions and the lack of diplomatic progress, the controversy surrounding the interference report is expected to further complicate bilateral relations between the two countries in the foreseeable future.
