Ottawa [Canada], June 19: In a landmark admission, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has officially acknowledged for the first time that Khalistani extremists are operating from Canadian soil to promote, fundraise for, and plan acts of violence—primarily targeting India.
The revelation came through CSIS’s annual national security report released on Wednesday, validating longstanding concerns raised by the Indian government. The report explicitly states: “Khalistani extremists continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India.”
India has repeatedly accused Canada of being soft on extremist groups advocating for an independent Khalistan, warning that these groups pose a threat not only to Indian national security but also to bilateral ties. Until now, Canadian authorities had largely refrained from officially acknowledging such activity.
The CSIS report also highlighted the broader threat posed by Politically Motivated Violent Extremism (PMVE) within Canada, particularly through Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs), noting that this threat has existed since the mid-1980s.
“A small group of individuals are considered Khalistani extremists because they continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India,” the report added. It also stated that both real and perceived threats of Khalistani extremism continue to drive Indian foreign interference activities in Canada.
This major development comes just a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. The two leaders agreed to restore high-level diplomatic ties and appoint new high commissioners to each other’s capitals, aiming to stabilise strained relations.
The report called for greater vigilance against external influence campaigns and domestic extremist financing networks, warning that such activities attempt to manipulate Canada’s stance on India-related issues, particularly Khalistan.
The Khalistan issue escalated in 2023 after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged “credible evidence” linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. India strongly denied the allegations, calling them “absurd” and “politically motivated.”
Following the controversy, India withdrew six diplomats from Canada, accusing Ottawa of harboring anti-India elements.
The CSIS report underscored this episode, noting: “Links between the Government of India and the Nijjar murder signals a significant escalation in India’s repression efforts against the Khalistan movement and a clear intent to target individuals in North America.”
Despite domestic criticism from Sikh advocacy groups and some Canadian MPs over inviting Modi to the G7 Summit, Prime Minister Carney defended the decision, citing India’s global significance as the world’s most populous country and fourth-largest economy.