India’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday, citing diplomatic communications from Ottawa, that the Indian ambassador to Canada and other Indian diplomats are “key persons” in “matter related to the investigation” in Canada.
New Delhi rejected the “absurd imposition” of Canada’s claims, saying it was part of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “political agenda” centered on “vote bank politics.”
Relations between New Delhi and Ottawa have cooled since September 2023, when Prime Minister Trudeau said there was credible evidence linking Indian operatives to the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader that year. This prompted strong opposition from New Delhi, which denied the move.
India has repeatedly said Canada has not shared any evidence to support its claims.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said on Sunday that it had received a diplomatic communication from Canada, but the statement did not go into details of the investigation.
“This latest step follows an exchange in which unsubstantiated allegations were once again witnessed. This suggests that there is a deliberate strategy to malign India for political gain under the pretext of investigation. There is little doubt.”
“India now reserves the right to take further action in response to the Canadian government’s recent efforts to fabricate allegations against Indian diplomats.”
It also claimed that the Trudeau government has “knowingly provided space for violent extremists and terrorists to harass, intimidate and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada.”
Canada withdrew more than 40 diplomats from India in October 2023 after New Delhi asked Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence.
In June, a committee of Canadian parliamentarians named India and China as the main foreign threats to Canada’s democratic institutions, based on input from intelligence agencies.
Sanjay Kumar Verma, India’s special envoy in Ottawa, said the report was politically motivated and influenced by Sikh separatist activists.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he would like India to “work with us to get to the bottom of this very serious issue.”
Immediately after Canada’s accusations, the US alleged that Indian operatives were involved in a 2023 assassination attempt on another Sikh separatist leader in New York, acting on the orders of anonymous Indian government officials. announced that they had indicted an Indian national.
However, unlike the angry reaction to Canada’s claims, India expressed concern after the US raised the issue, distanced itself from the conspiracy and launched an investigation.
Assassination plots against Sikh separatist leaders in Canada and the US come at a time when Western countries want to deepen ties with New Delhi to counter China’s growing global influence. being tested.
