Canada has expelled six Indian diplomats following accusations that Indian government agents were involved in the 2023 murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. While the allegations have strained bilateral relations, the Canadian government clarified it has no evidence directly implicating Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the incident.
The controversy deepened after The Globe and Mail reported claims that Canadian security agencies believed Modi, along with Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, had knowledge of the alleged plot. However, Nathalie Drouin, intelligence adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, rejected these claims, stating, "The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada. Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate."
India has flatly denied any role in Nijjar's killing or in any violence targeting Sikh separatists in Canada. New Delhi has consistently labeled Sikh separatist groups advocating for a separate Khalistan state as "terrorists" and significant threats to its national security.
The issue has further heightened tensions between the two nations, with Canada hosting the world’s largest Sikh diaspora outside India. Public demonstrations in Canada supporting Sikh separatist movements have drawn sharp criticism from India, which views these activities as a challenge to its sovereignty and security.
This unfolding diplomatic row has placed the long-standing complexities of the Sikh separatist movement under an international spotlight, further straining already fragile relations between Canada and India.
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