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Biman Mukherji

A report from Canada’s spy agency that identifies Khalistani extremism as a national security threat may accelerate a diplomatic reset with India, even as analysts say allegations of interference by New Delhi continue to cloud the relationship.
Delhi has long complained that a small number of Sikh separatist extremists have used Canadian soil to organise, raise funds and support violence connected to the push for “Khalistan”, a proposed independent Sikh state in India’s Punjab.
The report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), put before parliament on May 1, acknowledged this fact while drawing a distinction between lawful political advocacy for Khalistan and violent extremism.
Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters at a weekly media briefing on Thursday last week that the CSIS report confirmed that Canada-based Khalistani extremist groups posed a national security threat not only to India but to Canada itself.


Observers said the report’s tone hinted at further improvements to bilateral relations, particularly as Prime Minister Mark Carney has pursued a broader diplomatic and economic reset with India.
Carney has sought to boost trade and secure energy partnerships since early this year, including through a uranium supply deal. This approach has contrasted sharply with that of his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, who alleged Indian agents were behind the 2023 killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, an accusation India has denied.
Ottawa’s acknowledgement of Khalistani extremism “sort of puts a cap on a very contentious issue in India-Canada relations”, said Harsh Pant, a professor of international relations at King’s College London who hails from India.
“This is very significant and something that India has been concerned about and has been asking Canada to publicly acknowledge,” he said. “Carney has taken a mature, measured and forward-looking approach on India-Canada relations.”
Let’s read this as a cautious and welcome step towards normalisation
Uday Chandra, political-science professor
However, the CSIS report also listed India among countries allegedly engaged in foreign interference and espionage in Canada, alongside China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan – activities described as largely centring on the intimidation and harassment of diaspora members on Canadian soil. “We categorically reject such baseless imputations,” Jaiswal said.
While the report has not resolved the underlying disagreements between the two countries, “it creates a practical basis for diplomatic exchanges on a touchy subject”, said Uday Chandra, a political-science professor at Ashoka University in India’s Haryana state.
“Let’s read this as a cautious and welcome step towards normalisation. It gives both sides a new language with which to resume security dialogue, intelligence cooperation and trade discussions.”
‘Hard limits’
Given Canada’s large Sikh population, strong civil liberty protections and the domestic sensitivities surrounding diaspora politics, any rapprochement should be viewed with caution, Chandra said.
“India may expect more visible Canadian action against Khalistani activist networks, but there are hard limits to what is possible for any Canadian government to do,” he said.
Within India, the Khalistan movement has largely faded from public view since the 1980s but still draws support from sections of the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada.

“Canada’s worst terrorist incident was caused by those spouting radical Khalistani positions from their shores,” said Christopher Blackburn, a London-based security analyst, referring to the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182 also highlighted in the CSIS report.
The attack, carried out by Sikh extremists, killed 329 people, including 268 Canadian citizens.
“For a neutral observer, it’s been strange watching the Canadian reluctance to confront this,” Blackburn said. “Khalistan is probably more of a Canadian national security problem than an Indian one.”
Blackburn said Carney was being pragmatic. “Why would anyone let a small bunch of fanatics ruin bilateral relations? The status quo was untenable.”
Canadian allegations of “transnational repression”, were ultimately borne of frustration with local authorities’ inability to act, he added.
“A good step would be to work on the issue together. It seems Carney’s government is finally on the same page as their Indian counterparts.”


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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney speak before a meeting at last year’s G7 Summit in Alberta. Photo: The Canadian Press/AP

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A Canadian spy report validates New Delhi’s concerns about Sikh extremism, even as it accuses India of foreign interference and espionage


A Canadian spy report validates New Delhi’s concerns about Sikh extremism, even as it accuses India of foreign interference and espionage.


Canada labels Sikh extremism a threat while accusing India of meddling

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}A Canadian spy report validates New Delhi’s concerns about Sikh extremism, even as it accuses India of foreign interference and espionage

A Canadian spy report validates New Delhi’s concerns about Sikh extremism, even as it accuses India of foreign interference and espionage