Ottawa, Feb 26 — Canada’s federal government has said it believes India is no longer linked to violent crimes or ongoing foreign interference in the country, marking a notable shift in Ottawa’s position ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s upcoming visit to India.
The assessment was shared by senior officials during a media briefing with journalists this week, according to a report by the Toronto Star.
“We have a very robust diplomatic engagement, including between national security advisers, and I think we can say we’re confident that that activity is not continuing,” a senior government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Officials indicated that Canadian authorities do not currently see active violent activity or foreign interference tied to India. Another senior official said the planned visit itself reflected that assessment. “I really don’t think we’d be taking this trip if we thought these kinds of activities were continuing,” the official said.
Carney is set to undertake a nine-day visit that includes stops in Mumbai and New Delhi, where he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit is being viewed as part of Ottawa’s effort to pursue a more pragmatic foreign policy and strengthen economic ties with India.
Bilateral relations had deteriorated sharply following the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in British Columbia. Months later, then prime minister Justin Trudeau said Canada had “credible” evidence linking Indian government agents to Nijjar’s death—an allegation New Delhi strongly denied.
The row led to the expulsion of diplomats from both sides and a prolonged diplomatic standoff. Officials briefing reporters this week suggested those concerns are no longer seen as ongoing.