The diplomatic row between Canada and India has taken a dramatic turn, with the revelation that two senior officials from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government disclosed intelligence to the Washington Post about India’s alleged involvement in the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. This admission adds fuel to the already tense situation, following Canada’s public accusations linking Indian agents to “homicides and violent acts” in Canada.
The key figure in this unfolding drama is Nathalie Drouin, Justin Trudeau’s national security and intelligence adviser. Testifying before a parliamentary panel, Drouin revealed that a high-ranking official within Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration was allegedly orchestrating plots against Sikh separatists in Canada. Drouin defended the leak, claiming it was part of a communication strategy to showcase Canada’s stance in the ongoing diplomatic dispute.
“We provided non-classified information on the actions we had taken to cooperate with India and explained how the evidence showed links to the government of India conducting illegal activities against Canadians, including threats to their lives,” Drouin stated.
The diplomatic fallout between Canada and India reached a new low on October 14th when New Delhi expelled six Canadian diplomats in response to Ottawa naming India’s High Commissioner as a “person of interest” in the Nijjar case. This followed a public statement by top RCMP officials making serious allegations against India.
In a report published on October 13th, The Washington Post detailed a secret meeting between India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart. During this meeting, Canadian officials allegedly presented evidence that India had used criminal networks, specifically the Bishnoi gang, to orchestrate Nijjar’s assassination and conduct attacks on Sikh separatists in Canada. Drouin disclosed that the meeting took place on September 12th and was attended by high-ranking officials from both countries. She claimed that Doval “refused to acknowledge any links” to the allegations presented.
The parliamentary panel raised concerns about Trudeau and his cabinet’s decision to leak information to a newspaper before informing the Canadian public. Conservative public safety critic Raquel Dancho accused the officials of being “quite unfair to the Canadian public”, highlighting that crucial details were shared with the Washington Post before being disclosed to Canadians. However, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme defended the leaked information, stating that it was non-classified and withheld from public disclosure to protect ongoing investigations.
India has consistently refuted these allegations, accusing Canada of making unfounded claims. New Delhi has previously labelled Hardeep Singh Nijjar as a terrorist, linking him to various violent incidents, including a theatre bombing in Punjab and the murder of Sikh politician Rulda Singh in 2009.
This revelation further intensifies the diplomatic rift between the two nations, raising serious questions about the future of their relationship and the potential for further escalation. The sharing of intelligence with the Washington Post before informing the Canadian public has drawn criticism, highlighting the complexities and challenges of navigating a delicate diplomatic situation.
