A recent Canadian commission report has found "no definitive link" between the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and any foreign state, challenging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s earlier allegations that Indian agents were involved. In September 2023, Trudeau claimed that Canada had credible evidence suggesting the Indian government’s role in the murder of Nijjar, who was shot dead in Surrey, British Columbia, that June. However, the new report, titled *Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions*, released on Tuesday, rejected these allegations, stating there was no conclusive evidence connecting the murder to any foreign entity.
The report, authored by Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue, pointed out that disinformation is often used as a tool for retaliation against actions that go against a state's interests. It also speculated that India may have been involved in spreading disinformation after Trudeau’s claims regarding Indian involvement in Nijjar’s death. "Disinformation is often employed as a means of punishment for decisions contrary to a state's objectives," Hogue noted. The report further stated, “This may have been the case with a disinformation campaign following the Prime Minister's statement on the suspected Indian involvement in Nijjar’s killing, though once again, no definitive link to any foreign state could be proven."
The 123-page report also referenced the diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, including the expulsion of six Indian diplomats from Canada in October 2024. This action followed a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens, allegedly carried out by agents connected to the Indian government. India retaliated by expelling six Canadian diplomats and recalling its high commissioner. Relations between the two countries had already been strained following Trudeau’s September statement.
India strongly dismissed the Canadian report’s findings, labeling them as "insinuations." The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) accused Canada of distorting the situation and of consistently interfering in India’s internal matters. "Canada has been repeatedly meddling in India's internal affairs," the MEA responded to the report.
The report comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two nations, largely fueled by Canada's stance on the Khalistan movement. India has repeatedly criticized Trudeau’s government for its perceived leniency toward Khalistan supporters in Canada. The movement, which seeks a separate Sikh state, is banned in India but continues to receive support from certain segments of the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada. The ongoing diplomatic fallout continues to put a strain on relations between the two countries.