Canada’s top intelligence agency has publicly confirmed that Khalistani extremists are operating from Canadian soil—marking the first time such activity has been officially acknowledged in these terms.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), in its latest annual report, stated, “Khalistani extremists continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India.”
This confirmation aligns with New Delhi’s long-standing contention that Canada has served as a haven for anti-India elements, particularly those advocating for a separate Sikh state of Khalistan, and comes amid efforts to mend strained diplomatic ties between the two nations.
India has consistently raised concerns over Canada’s inaction on Khalistani activity. However, the new report marks a departure, with Ottawa officially using the term “extremism” in this context for the first time.
Since the mid-1980s, Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) have been associated with politically motivated violent extremism (PMVE), which CSIS defines as the use of violence to reshape political structures or norms. The report said, “PMVE actors engage in the planning, financing and facilitating of attacks, globally, in order to establish new political systems or entities.”
Though CSIS recorded no CBKE-linked attacks on Canadian soil in 2024, it maintained that “ongoing involvement in violent activities by CBKEs continue to pose a national security threat to Canada and Canadian interests.”
Pakistan also under scrutiny
In a related development, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference (PIFI) have highlighted concerns about Pakistan’s interference in Canada’s democratic institutions. Reports in May and June 2024 identified Pakistan as a state actor engaged in influence operations.
The intelligence disclosures come against the backdrop of the continuing investigation into the June 2023 killing of Canadian citizen and pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. Four individuals were arrested in May 2024 and charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the incident.
Nijjar’s killing significantly soured diplomatic relations between India and Canada. India had strongly objected to the space afforded to extremist elements in Canada, while Ottawa raised concerns over the killing of a Canadian citizen.
Leaders meet on G7 sidelines
Coinciding with the CSIS report, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held their first in-person meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada.
According to New Delhi’s official statement, the leaders discussed a “constructive and balanced partnership grounded in mutual respect for concerns and sensitivities.” The two sides also agreed to appoint new High Commissioners and resume trade negotiations that had been on hold amid diplomatic tensions.
While India has long pointed to Canada’s lax approach to anti-India elements, the CSIS report marks a notable shift in Ottawa’s public security discourse, potentially paving the way for more candid cooperation between the two nations.
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