On Wednesday, a Canadian intelligence agency reported that New Delhi is leveraging cyber technology to track separatist groups abroad. This warning came a day after accusations surfaced implicating a senior Indian official in authorizing violence, including the 2023 murder of a Sikh in Vancouver.
Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE) indicated that India is “tracking and surveilling activists and dissidents living abroad” while escalating cyberattacks on Canadian government systems. The report attributes these cyber activities to strained relations between the two nations, calling India an “emerging (cyber) threat actor,” according to CSE Chief Caroline Xavier.
The allegations involve the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh leader advocating for an independent Sikh state, “Khalistan.” This separatist cause, though fringe, has a significant following among Canada’s Sikh population—the largest outside India.
The report details “a pro-India hacktivist group” launching a series of DDoS attacks on Canadian websites, including the Canadian military’s public site, following accusations against India. Moreover, officials revealed that Canadian authorities traced an intimidation campaign targeting Khalistan activists back to high-ranking members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison, while testifying before a House of Commons committee, confirmed details from a Washington Post story that implicated India’s Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah in these activities. Morrison stated, “The journalist called me and asked me if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person.”
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has voiced “clear indications” of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s murder and broader threats toward Canadian-based Khalistan supporters. Both nations responded to the diplomatic strain by expelling each other’s ambassadors, with India firmly denying the accusations. Meanwhile, four Indian nationals have been detained in connection with Nijjar’s murder.