India Slammed In Canada’s Foreign Interference Report
Commissioner Hogue's final report sheds new details about Indian foreign interference in Canada and confirms the Sikh community's long-standing beliefs concerning Indian transnational repression.
Jaskaran Sandhu
January 28, 2025 | 10 min. read | Original Reporting
The Honourable Marie-Josee Hogue, Commissioner for the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Process and Democratic Institutions, established by the Canadian government on September 7, 2023, has released her long-awaited report on foreign interference in Canada.
The “Sikh Coalition,” comprised of the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO), BC Gurdwaras Council (BCGC), and the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee (OGC), participated on behalf of the Canadian Sikh community at the Inquiry.
India features prominently in the final report, including the finding that the targeting of the Sikh Canadian community by India is “increasingly aggressive and violent.”
The Commission has confirmed that classified evidence establishes that agents of the Government of India, including proxies, are actively targeting Sikhs in Canada, engaging in violent crime, and working to suppress lawful advocacy for human rights and self-determination. India is noted as Canada's second-most active state actor in foreign interference and a significant source of disinformation attempting to polarize and destabilize Canadian society and communities.
The Commissioner emphasized that the scope of the Commission’s Terms of Reference, which focused on foreign interference in the electoral process and democratic institutions, did not allow for an in-depth study of transnational repression in Canada, noting that the report “likely only scratches the surface of this phenomenon.” However, it still includes new information surrounding the investigation into the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar as well.
In a press release, the WSO has called on the Government of Canada to “initiate a full public inquiry into the murder of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar and the transnational repression faced by Sikhs in Canada by India.”
We have extracted some key findings from the report here. The full report is available on the Inquiry's website.
“India is the second most active country engaging in electoral foreign interference in Canada.”
“Like the PRC, India conducts foreign interference through diplomatic officials in Canada and through proxies. A body of intelligence indicates that proxy agents may have, and may continue to be, clandestinely providing illicit financial support to various Canadian politicians in an attempt to secure the election of pro-India candidates or gain influence over candidates who take office. The intelligence does not necessarily indicate that the elected officials or candidates involved were aware of the interference attempts, or that the attempts necessarily succeeded.”
“India also uses disinformation as a key form of foreign interference against Canada, a tactic likely to be used more often in the future.”
“India’s activities primarily target the approximately 800,000 members of the Sikh diaspora in Canada and aim to promote a pro India and anti-Khalistan narrative.”
“The RCMP’s statement in October 2024, on violent criminal activity in Canada, including homicides and extortion, with connections to agents of the Government of India, is consistent with the classified evidence. Further, the national security and intelligence community assesses India as an emerging cyber threat actor.”
“My terms of reference did not allow for an in-depth study of transnational repression in Canada and [the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar]. Thus, the work that the Commission did in this respect likely only scratched the surface of this phenomenon. What this work has made clear to me, however, is how serious a problem transnational repression is, how harmful its impacts are on individuals in Canada and how important it is for the government to meaningfully respond to it.”
“Any effective response to foreign interference must consider the realities of transnational repression in Canada.”
“Intelligence agencies reported that Government of India officials had: ‘continue[d] to conduct FI activities in Canada, both directly and through their Canadian proxies. During GE44 Indian officials were observed expressing interest in individual electoral contests and likely hoped pro-India candidates would prevail or, at least, that perceived anti-India candidates would not be (re-)elected.’”
“Intelligence holdings also reveal that a Government of India proxy agent may have attempted to clandestinely provide financial support to candidates from three political parties in 2021. The source of any such financial contribution could have been unknown to the candidates.”
“India has tried to pressure Canada to go beyond the parameters of Canadian law to counter supporters of an independent Khalistan. India’s foreign interference activities attempt to have Canada’s position align with its own about key issues, particularly about supporters of Khalistani separatism.”
“India focuses its foreign interference activities on the Indo-Canadian community and on prominent non-Indo-Canadians to achieve these objectives. This interference has targeted all levels of government.”
“A body of intelligence indicates that Government of India proxy agents may have provided, and may continue to be clandestinely providing, illicit financial support to various Canadian politicians in an attempt to secure the election of pro-Indian candidates or gain influence over candidates who take office.”
“The Canadian intelligence community has observed Government of India interference seeking to influence nomination processes and decisions made in Parliament. The intelligence does not necessarily indicate that the elected officials or candidates involved were aware of the interference attempts, nor were the attempts necessarily successful.”
“India also uses disinformation as a key form of foreign interference against Canada, a tactic they are likely to use more often. India continues to develop its cyber capabilities. CSIS assesses that India will likely seek to promote a pro-India and anti-Khalistan narrative in Canada using cognitive warfare techniques.”
“[In] 2021, CSIS implemented a TRM [threat reduction measures] about foreign interference activities by India. The objective was to safeguard democratic institutions by telling current and former members of Parliament (“MPs”) about India’s foreign interference activities in Canada. This involved both classified and unclassified briefings and interviews with the MPs. All briefings provided a general awareness of foreign interference and Indian efforts, while some included targeted information on India-related foreign interference issues, including the covert promotion of a pro-Government of India agenda and covert funding of political candidates, including through the use of proxies.
“The Commission heard evidence about allegations of Government of India interference in a Conservative Party leadership race. CSIS witnesses noted that they had no reason to believe the impacted candidate would have been aware of the alleged support. They also noted that, while concerning, not all India’s activities in this matter were covert.”
“The People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) and India also engage in repressive activities against communities, political dissidents and human rights defenders, but also show an interest in interfering in Canadian democratic processes.”
“India’s transnational repression activities in Canada are mainly targeted at the approximately 800,000 Sikh diaspora community members.”
“While Canada has consistently cooperated with India to address cases of actual or threatened terrorism based on credible evidence, this issue continues to cause significant tension in Canada-India relations. Moreover, India and Canada have opposing viewpoints on peaceful pro-Khalistan protests in Canada and on what constitutes protected free speech. This has furthered tensions.”
“India’s transnational repression activities include information collection and monitoring of individuals of interest and undermining support for Canadian policies related to issues such as Pakistan and Khalistani extremism. India also engages in foreign interference that seeks to counter activities by diaspora communities that it views as counter to its national interests, such as lawful and public advocacy for issues such as an independent Khalistan. Information collected by India, directly or through proxies, is used to target members of the South Asian community.”
“The RCMP’s October 2024 statement about violent criminal activity occurring in Canada with connections to agents of the Government of India is consistent with the classified evidence available to me on India’s increasingly aggressive and violent activities. Further, India aspires to build a modernized cyber program. The national security and intelligence community assesses India to be an emerging cyber threat actor.”
“I received information that India uses a series of tactics as part of its foreign interference efforts to spread a positive narrative about India and silence activists. Among these tactics, India has exerted its influence in nomination races in Canada in support of candidates who are favourable to India, and against candidates who speak out publicly against India.”
We are republishing, in its entirety, the report's findings about the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Commissioner shares new details and confirms others surrounding the leadup to and fallout of Canada confronting India over the Modi government's role in the extrajudicial murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil.
Assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was assassinated on 18 June 2023 in Surrey, British Columbia.
A link between the Government of India and the killing of Mr. Nijjar
There were immediate rumours that Mr. Nijjar’s death was somehow linked to the Government of India, but that was not the initial read of intelligence and security agencies. The initial assessment was that the killing was gang or criminal related, and the Prime Minister was informed of this.
However, Canadian officials began hearing from a number of South Asian members of Parliament and other members of the South Asian community who were insistent that the killing was connected to India. A number of media articles also alleged that the Government of India was involved and that it was possible retaliation for the killing of Ripudaman Singh Malik a year earlier. Mr. Malik had been prosecuted for having contributed to financing the Air India bombing but was acquitted of the charges in 2005.
In light of what they were hearing, intelligence agencies continued to investigate the circumstances of the killing.
Over the course of the summer, intelligence revealed the Government of India’s involvement in the killing. Then-CSIS Director David Vigneault briefed the National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Jody Thomas, about this. Within an hour of this briefing, she informed the Clerk of the Privy Council, John Hannaford. The Prime Minister was then promptly briefed on the updated assessment.
The government’s response
The government wanted India to acknowledge its involvement in the assassination, but also needed a pragmatic approach to resolve the issue.
The Prime Minister testified that the government’s immediate approach was to engage with the Government of India and communicate that it was necessary for the two countries to work together while ensuring there was accountability. Canada also reached out to its allies to ensure a collective and coherent response.
Ms. Thomas had a meeting already scheduled with her Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, in August 2023. She and other Privy Council Office officials met with Mr. Doval, as well as the heads of India’s intelligence agency and internal police bureau, and officials from their foreign affairs department. This was a formal meeting; Ms. Thomas had a script that set out what she could say about the investigation. She believed that Mr. Doval and his colleagues absolutely understood that Canada knew this was an extrajudicial killing and was calling out India for its role in killing Mr. Nijjar.
When Minister Mélanie Joly became aware of the intelligence in August 2023, she began voicing Canada’s concerns to her Indian counterpart, with three primary objectives: shedding light on the nature of India’s involvement, protecting the safety of Canadians and protecting Canadian sovereignty.
In September 2023, Mr. Vigneault, Ms. Thomas and Mr. Morrison went to India for the G20 Summit, which India was hosting. Canada had originally planned to take advantage of the Summit to improve bilateral relationships with India. Mr. Nijjar’s assassination derailed that plan. Instead, just prior to the Summit, they met with their counterparts to try to get India to cooperate with the investigation.
Ms. Thomas said that during her second meeting with Mr. Doval, they both had scripts. She wanted to signal that Canada knew that India had been involved in the killing while still protecting the integrity of the ongoing RCMP investigation.
Mr. Morrison told his counterpart that it was highly likely the truth would eventually come out through the Canadian investigation, the unsealing of an indictment in the United States or a media leak.
Mr. Vigneault delivered his script verbatim. His objective was to situate this event within the broader context of previous instances in which CSIS had advised that Canada was aware of India’s foreign interference activities and considered them problematic. India did not acknowledge that it was involved in killing Mr. Nijjar.
Prime Minister Trudeau described the G20 summit as a “big moment,” where the government worked behind the scenes to try and continue to get India to cooperate with it. This culminated in a conversation between the Prime Minister and Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, after the last session of the G20 Summit. The Prime Minister told Mr. Modi that Canada knew India was involved, and that this would likely become public. Mr. Modi responded that Canada had people that India wanted to see arrested, and asked Canada to share the intelligence it had about the killing.
Media reporting on Mr. Nijjar’s assassination
Soon after the G20 Summit, the government received information that led it to believe India’s involvement would soon be leaked in the media. The government determined that it should tell Canadians it was aware of allegations about India’s involvement and was investigating them in the interest of public safety. Canada consulted its allies before making this declaration.
On 18 September 2023, the Globe and Mail published an article saying that Canadian officials had information about potential Indian involvement in Mr. Nijjar’s death. Following the publication of that story, the Prime Minister announced in the House of Commons that Canadian security agencies had been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of Mr. Nijjar.
Declaring an Indian diplomat persona non grata
At the same time, Canada declared an Indian diplomat persona non grata.
India responded by declaring a Canadian official, persona non grata and also lifted the diplomatic immunity of 41 Canadians in India, effectively expelling them. Witnesses described India’s response as extreme. As a result of the immunity of its diplomats being lifted, Canada shut down its three consulates in India.
RRM Canada also detected a disinformation campaign targeting Prime Minister Trudeau, Canada’s High Commission to India, Canada’s national security and intelligence agencies, Canada’s Sikh diaspora and Mr. Nijjar’s political beliefs. Several media outlets aligned with the Indian Prime Minister amplified this campaign. The posts included narratives that the Prime Minister and Canadian institutions were “enablers of terrorism” and “treacherous against Bharat (India)”.
The Prime Minister commented that this was a situation where there were clear indications that India had violated Canada’s sovereignty—but when confronted, the Government of India’s response was to double down and attack Canada further.
The government’s continuing response
GAC said Canada continues its work to hold the individuals responsible for Mr. Nijjar’s assassination accountable. An RCMP investigation into the matter is ongoing, and four individuals were arrested in May 2024.
The question of Indian foreign interference and transnational repression evolved in rather dramatic fashion during the Commission’s public hearings. On 14 October 2024, in the midst of the hearings, the RCMP publicly released findings with respect to the involvement of agents of the Government of India in serious criminal activity in Canada.
Simultaneously, GAC announced that Canada had expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials following a campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India. The six individuals were identified as persons of interest in Mr. Nijjar’s assassination.
The Prime Minister said the decision to make this announcement was anchored in public safety considerations, with the objective of disrupting the chain of criminal activities with ties to India, primarily targeting the Sikh community in Canada, and the covert collection of information by Indian diplomats about Canadians opposed to the Government of Mr. Modi.
The challenge of attribution
The events described above are a good illustration of how difficult it can be to make a decision about whether, when and how to publicly attribute foreign interference activities to a particular state. There are a lot of considerations at play, and the consequences can be severe.
Conclusion
As I noted above, the Commission’s Terms of Reference did not direct me to conduct an in-depth study of transnational repression in Canada. Thus, the work that the Commission did in this respect likely only scratches the surface of this phenomenon.
What the Commission’s work has made clear to me, however, is how serious a problem transnational repression is, how harmful its impacts are on individuals in Canada and how important it is for the government to meaningfully respond to it.
Any effective response to foreign interference must take into account the realities of transnational repression that some states carry out in Canada.
In my view, the government must look even closer at transnational repression and the serious impacts that it can have on some Canadians. It is a complex issue.
Jaskaran Sandhu hails from Brampton, Canada, and is the co-founder of Baaz. He is a Strategist at the public affairs and relations agency State Strategy and a lawyer. Jaskaran also previously served as Executive Director for the World Sikh Organization of Canada and as a Senior Advisor to Brampton’s Office of the Mayor. You can find Jaskaran on Twitter at @JaskaranSandhu_
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