Canada intel report confirms Khalistani extremists use its soil for violence in India

Canada’s premier intelligence agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), has officially confirmed that Khalistani extremists are using Canada as a base to raise funds, promote, and plan violence primarily in India.

In CSIS’s 2024 annual report, it states unambiguously, “Khalistani extremists continue to see Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising, or planning of violence primarily in India.”

Using Canada as safe haven

The report highlights that these violent elements use Canada as a haven to promote and plan attacks targetting India.

“Since the mid-1980s, the politically-motivated violent extremism (PMVE) threat in Canada has manifested primarily through Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) seeking to use and support violent means to create an independent nation state called Khalistan, largely within Punjab, India,” says the report.

The CSIS report mentions a small group of Khalistani extremists who use violent means to advance their cause, and says real and perceived Khalistani extremism emerging from Canada “continues to drive Indian foreign interference activities in Canada”.

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The report also points to the broader national security threat posed by politically-motivated violent extremism in Canada, “with Khalistani extremism being the primary manifestation”.

The intelligence agency’s report, at the same time, distinguishes these extremists from those engaged in peaceful advocacy.

The revelations by the CSIS report validate India’s long-standing concerns about the anti-India activities by pro-Khalistan groups operating out of Canada.

Diplomatic tensions

This acknowledgement by Canadian intelligence of Khalistani extremism in Canada comes amid increased diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Ottawa, especially after the alleged assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani extremist, in British Columbia in 2023.

Canadian officials had linked Nijjar’s killing to Indian government interference, which India denied vehemently. India called the allegation absurd, and accused Canada of giving a safe haven for anti-India elements.

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The issue had led to heated exchanges between the two nations, the expelling of diplomats, and an atmosphere of mistrust.

There, however, has been a thaw in the relationship recently, with the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit in Alberta. Both leaders have agreed to restore diplomatic ties by appointing new high commissioners and resuming trade talks.