The Indian government on Thursday rejected a report by Canada's intelligence agency that alleged foreign interference by India, asserting that India is a democracy that adheres to international norms and respects the sovereignty of other nations.
MEA Response
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded to media queries, stating that India's position on this issue has been clear and consistent. It categorically rejected such baseless imputations. "It is not our policy to interfere in issues of other countries. We believe that any concerns of this nature should be addressed through established mechanisms, rather than through public or politicised narratives," spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
Concerns Over Khalistani Extremism
The report acknowledged the threat to Canada from Khalistani extremism, something that India has repeatedly warned Ottawa about. The official noted that India has consistently spoken out about concerns regarding the use of Canadian territory as a safe haven by extremist and separatist elements. "The CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) assessment acknowledges the presence of supporters of the Khalistan separatist movement in Canada and notes that Canada-based Khalistani extremist groups continue to pose a national security threat not only to India but also to Canada," Jaiswal said.
India has repeatedly urged the Canadian government to take effective action against anti-India extremist elements operating from its soil. The MEA emphasized that such issues should be addressed through established diplomatic and security mechanisms rather than through public narratives that could politicize the matter.
The rejection comes amid heightened tensions between India and Canada over allegations of foreign interference and the presence of separatist elements. India maintains that it respects the sovereignty of all nations and expects the same in return.
