Moninder Singh: Sikhs Call On Canada To Take Indian Foreign Interference Seriously

"The BCGC and OGC jointly released a public report today which documents Indian foreign interference and intelligence operations in Canada."

Moninder Singh
March 20, 2023 | 2.5 min. read | Opinion

The British Columbia Gurdwaras Council (BCGC) and Ontario Gurdwaras Committee (OGC) jointly released a public report today which documents Indian foreign interference and intelligence operations in Canada. The report, titled Indian Foreign Interference: Intimidation, Disinformation, and Undermining Canadian Institutions, extensively cites incidents of Indian foreign interference that have been reported upon by Canadian media or acknowledged by Government officials and security agencies in recent years. 

As acknowledged by government bodies and policy experts, Canada’s racialized communities are simultaneously some of the most targeted—and vulnerable—for foreign interference, intimidation, and harassment by foreign actors. While there has been particular attention paid to China and Russia in the context of foreign interference, it is imperative that Canada pay even closer attention to supposed allies, like India, who actively seek to manipulate public discourse and policy in Canada to secure their own policy objectives. This is particularly important when Indian officials continue to make inflammatory public statements in a manner suggesting quid pro quo for criminalizing political expression that is contrary to Indian interests. 

India has been a clear perpetrator of clandestine foreign interference in Canada since the 1980s, targeting Canadian institutions, as well as political dissidents critical of the Indian state. There is ample evidence on the public record that is cited in the report to establish that Indian political interference is an ongoing problem in Canada as explicit efforts have been made to covertly manipulate public policy, and debate.

Indian diplomats and intelligence agencies are actively engaging in conduct to influence government decision-making to criminalize and prosecute Sikh political advocacy in Canada under the guise of “countering extremism”. 

The lack of decisive action to combat Indian foreign interference by the Government of Canada thus far, appears to be largely related to discriminatory attitudes towards minority communities and the disproportionate weight given to foreign policy considerations over the long-term domestic harms caused by foreign interference. 

Combating foreign interference will require a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach that addresses all foreign actors operating clandestinely in Canada, not just one or two countries. By failing to clearly condemn Indian foreign interference, Sikhs in Canada are being treated as though we are simply a bargaining chip for the Government of Canada to pursue economic ties with India at the expense of our safety, security, and fundamental freedoms.

The Government needs to ensure there is transparent and consistent dialogue with the community on this issue to understand the risks and threats posed to the community, and move towards stronger protections.

The full report can be downloaded here. 

Moninder Singh is a naujawan panthic activist who has been involved in gurmat parchar for over two decades. He is a founder of the Khalistan Centre and spokesperson for the BC Gurdwaras Council.

The British Columbia Gurdwaras Council (BCGC) and Ontario Gurdwaras Committee (OGC) are independent, non-partisan, non-profit organizations which collectively represent over thirty of the largest Sikh institutions across the country. Both organizations were established to facilitate dialogue and consensus-building within the community on key policy issues in order to collectively advocate for the political concerns of Sikhs in Canada, as well as upholding human rights and civil liberties in Canada’s engagement with its international partners. 

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