Canada's intelligence agency CSIS confirms Khalistani extremism on its soil

CSIS released its annual report on Wednesday, outlining some key concerns and threats to Canada's national security.

Canada intelligence agency CSIS report categorically states, "Khalistani extremists continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India."

India has been raising concerns about Khalistani extremists operating from Canadian soil for years, but Canada had largely turned a blind eye to the issue.

The CSIS report confirmed that Canada has become a safe haven for anti-India elements, validating India's concerns that have been raised for years.

This comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney "agreed to take calibrated steps to restore stability to the relationship" and decided to restore High Commissioners to each other's capitals.

At the G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and both leaders agreed to designate new high commissioners, with a view to returning to regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries, according to a press release from the Prime Minister of Canada.

The Politically Motivated Violent Extremism (PMVE) threat in Canada has manifested primarily through Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) seeking to create an independent nation state called Khalistan, largely within Punjab in India.

The report noted that since the mid-1980s, the PMVE threat in Canada has manifested primarily through CBKEs.

"A small group of individuals are considered Khalistani extremists because they continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India. In particular, real and perceived Khalistani extremism emerging from Canada continues to drive Indian foreign interference activities in Canada," the report reads.

This revelation, part of CSIS's latest annual report, has reignited concerns about foreign interference and extremist activity within Canada, particularly in the context of its sensitive diplomatic relationship with India.

Canada's own intelligence security has confirmed what New Delhi has long maintained -- Canada has become a safe haven for anti-India elements.

The report called for sustained vigilance against both external influence campaigns and domestic extremist financing networks

"These activities attempt to steer Canada's positions into alignment with India's interests on key issues, particularly with respect to how the Indian government perceives Canada-based supporters of an independent homeland that they call Khalistan," added the report.

Tensions escalated further when former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that his government had "credible allegations" of India's involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in 2023.

India has strongly denied the allegations, terming them "absurd" and "motivated," and has accused Canada of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements.

In the aftermath, India recalled six diplomats from Canada after they were declared "persons of interest" by Canadian authorities investigating Nijjar's killing. Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.

"Links between the Government of India and the Nijjar murder signals a significant escalation in India's repression efforts against the Khalistan movement and a clear intent to target individuals in North America, Wednesday's report read.

"Real and perceived Khalistani extremism emerging from Canada continues to drive Indian foreign interference activities in Canada, the report added.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney faced criticism for inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit, with some Sikh advocates and his own MPs expressing disapproval. However, Carney defended his decision, citing India's significance in global affairs.

Carney emphasized India's status as the world's fourth-largest economy and most populous country, making it a crucial player in addressing global challenges.