Canada’s intelligence agency chief, David Vigneault, made two unannounced visits to India in February and March to discuss the case involving the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Vigneault, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), reportedly shared information gathered during Ottawa’s investigation into the murder, which had strained ties between India and Canada after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the ‘potential’ involvement of Indian agents.
Vigneault’s visits came ahead of Canada’s arrest of three Indian nationals – Karanpreet Singh (28), Kamalpreet Singh (22), and Karan Brar (22) – suspected of involvement in Nijjar’s killing. A fourth Indian, Amandeep Singh, was subsequently apprehended by Canadian authorities.
Nijjar, designated a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in British Columbia’s Surrey on June 18 last year. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are investigating the murder.
A Canadian government official confirmed Vigneault’s visits to India but declined to comment on the nature of the closed-door meetings. However, the official emphasized Canada’s commitment to providing information on the case to India through various channels.
India has not publicly commented on Vigneault’s visits. According to sources, other Canadian officials have also visited India this year to discuss aspects of the Nijjar murder case.
India has consistently asserted that it has not received specific information from Canada regarding the case and has raised concerns about pro-Khalistani elements operating freely on Canadian soil. In recent months, India has expressed worries about the safety of its diplomats in Canada, urging Ottawa to ensure their protection from threats posed by pro-Khalistani elements.
Following Trudeau’s allegations last year, India requested that Ottawa reduce its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity, resulting in Canada withdrawing 41 diplomats and their family members from India.
