'Khalistanis using Canada…to promote violence': Spy agency confirms India's claim
What's the story
Canada's top intelligence agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), has confirmed for the first time that Khalistani extremists are operating from its soil. The CSIS's 2024 annual report states these extremists are using Canada for promoting, fundraising, and planning violence primarily targeting India. According to the report, since the mid-1980s, the politically motivated violent extremism (PMVE) threat has manifested primarily through Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) seeking to use and support violent means to establish an independent nation-state called Khalistan.
Report details
PMVE encourages the use of violence
PMVE supports the use of violence to create new political systems or new rules or structures within current systems. Those who are part of PMVE organize, pay for, and help attacks all around the world in order to set up new political systems or groups. While there were no CBKE-related incidents in Canada in 2024, CBKES' continued involvement in violent actions remains a national security danger to Canada and Canadian interests, the report states.
Diplomatic developments
Modi-Carney meeting at G7 summit
The CSIS report comes just as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian PM Mark Carney met at the G7 Summit in Alberta. The two leaders agreed to restore diplomatic ties by appointing new high commissioners and resuming trade negotiations in an attempt to move past the bitter diplomatic row sparked by the murder of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Additional concerns
'India, China, Russia perpetrators of foreign interference efforts'
In the same report, the agency said that India, China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan were perpetrators of foreign interference efforts. "Indian officials, including their Canada-based proxy agents, engage in a range of activities that seek to influence Canadian communities and politicians. When these activities are deceptive, clandestine, or threatening, they are deemed to be foreign interference," the report said. These activities attempt to steer Canada's positions into alignment with India's interests, in particular the Khalistan issue, the report added.