Canada accuses India of interfering in its elections, Center hits back

Canada has accused India and Pakistan of interfering in its elections. India has completely rejected this allegation. Canada's spy agency has presented a report of a "federal investigation examining possible foreign interference." The report alleged covert activities by both India and Pakistan during the general elections of 2019 and 2021. India has described the investigation as 'baseless' and said it is Canada that is interfering in their internal affairs.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) report points to concerted efforts by India and Pakistan to influence Canada's electoral processes. However, India has strongly denied these allegations, terming them baseless.

The CSIS documents allege that in 2021 the Indian government targeted specific electoral districts believed to harbor voters of Indian origin sympathetic to the Khalistani movement or pro-Pakistan stance. The agency alleged that a government proxy agent may have attempted to influence democratic processes through illegal financial assistance to favored candidates, which would likely have remained unknown to the recipients.

Similarly, in 2019, Pakistani government officials allegedly engaged in covert activities aimed at advancing Pakistan's interests within the Canadian political landscape. While India denied the claims and assured its commitment not to interfere in the democratic processes of other countries. However, Canada's investigation into foreign interference has increased tensions in already tense relations between the two countries.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in February, "We have seen media reports about the Canadian Commission of Inquiry... We strongly reject all such baseless allegations of Indian interference in Canadian elections." He said, "It is not the policy of the Government of India to interfere in the democratic processes of other countries. In fact, on the contrary, it is Canada that is interfering in our internal affairs."

The decision to launch a public inquiry came after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau launched the process last year in response to leaked intelligence reports that China had targeted Canadians by supporting candidates sympathetic to President Xi Jinping's regime. An attempt was made to influence the elections.

Trudeau's previous allegations of India's involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil have become a stumbling block in bilateral relations between the two countries. Despite India dismissing the allegations as absurd, it resulted in diplomatic fallout, including a temporary suspension of visas for Canadians and a reduction in diplomatic presence. The diplomatic rift intensified in February after Canadian intelligence described India as a "foreign threat" along with China and Russia.