AI Generated Summary
- Canadian intelligence reports in 2025, including assessments from the CSIS and the Department of Finance, acknowledged for the first time that Khalistani extremist groups operate on Canadian soil, using it as a base for promotion, funding, or planning violence primarily in India.
- India has long contended that certain elements within the Sikh diaspora in Canada, operating under the guise of advocacy, have provided a permissive environment for fundraising, propaganda, and planning linked to violence targeting Indian soil, activities involving organized crime, narcotics, and intimidation.
- If followed through, this reset could prove transformative—not just for India-Canada relations, but as a model for how nations can jointly curb the transnational spread of violence and build a safer world.
For years, the shadow of the Khalistan extremist movement has strained ties between India and Canada. India has long contended that certain elements within the Sikh diaspora in Canada, operating under the guise of advocacy, have provided a permissive environment for fundraising, propaganda, and planning linked to violence targeting Indian soil, activities involving organized crime, narcotics, and intimidation. Canadian intelligence reports in 2025, including assessments from the CSIS and the Department of Finance, acknowledged for the first time that Khalistani extremist groups operate on Canadian soil, using it as a base for promotion, funding, or planning violence primarily in India. Groups like Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation were flagged as receiving financial support, often through misuse of charities or criminal networks.
This validation of India’s concerns marked a turning point. Under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s leadership, following a shift from the previous administration’s approach—the rhetoric has moved from public accusations to pragmatic security-focused engagement. The recent visit by India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to Ottawa resulted in a shared work plan on national security and law enforcement. Key outcomes include establishing dedicated security and law-enforcement liaison officers in each country, real-time intelligence sharing on transnational crimes (including drugs like fentanyl precursors, cyber threats, and extremism), and reinforced protocols for collaboration.
These steps send a clear message: violent extremism enjoys no state backing in Canada. Ottawa has reiterated its commitment to addressing such networks strictly through law enforcement and public safety mechanisms, distinguishing legitimate political expression from incitement to violence. By cracking down on fundraising channels, organized crime linkages, and threats to diplomats or consular facilities, Canada is dismantling the operational space once available to extremists.
The benefits extend far beyond bilateral ties. Extremism thrives on safe havens, unchecked financing, and diplomatic silos. When major democracies like India and Canada—home to vibrant, interconnected diasporas—collaborate on intelligence, extradition, and counter-financing, they shrink the ecosystem that sustains radicalization. This cooperation can reduce the risk of targeted violence, extortion rackets in Punjab linked to overseas networks, and the radicalization of youth through social media or foreign funding. It also sets a precedent for addressing other forms of extremism globally, whether religiously motivated, politically separatist, or tied to organized crime.
Moreover, resetting relations through security dialogue rather than confrontation fosters mutual trust, enabling broader cooperation on trade, clean energy, technology, and people-to-people ties. A stable India-Canada partnership strengthens global efforts against terrorism, as both nations bring significant influence in multilateral forums.
This moment is not about erasing differences—debates over freedom of speech, diaspora politics, and historical grievances persist—but about rejecting violence as a tool for political ends. By prioritizing law enforcement over permissive politics, both countries are taking a stand that extremism, in any form, undermines security, democracy, and shared prosperity.
The path forward lies in implementation: swift action on intelligence leads, designation of threats, and sustained dialogue. If followed through, this reset could prove transformative—not just for India-Canada relations, but as a model for how nations can jointly curb the transnational spread of violence and build a safer world.
