Justin Trudeau says Canada shared evidence of Indian involvement but got no response, dials British PM

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly said they did not want a diplomatic confrontation with India, considering the deep people-to-people ties between the two countries but India must cooperate in the investigation.

India Canada Diplomatic Row Nijjar killing

This combination photo shows Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi (Photos via AP)

Hours after Indo-Canadian ties reached a new low, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he informed PM Narendra Modi at the end of last week about the crucial importance of the upcoming meeting between the national security advisors of both countries in Singapore but nothing came out of it.

“This is not a choice that Canada made to create a chill in Canada-India relations,” said Trudeau as he addressed the press in Ottawa alongside Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly and Minister of Public Safety and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc. He alleged that this weekend Canadian officials shared Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) evidence with their Indian counterparts, which “concluded that six agents of the Government of India are persons of interest in criminal activities, but the Government of India decided not to cooperate.”

While his ministers underlined how their investigators are collaborating with Five Eyes (an intelligence sharing alliance comprising US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand) Trudeau reached out to the British premier Sir Keith Starmer to discuss developments with India.

The Indian government strongly refuted the claims. “The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government, centred around vote bank politics,” said a statement from the MEA.

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US, Canada wave red flags together, India rubbishes charge on plot against Khalistan separatists

Canada’s Acting High Commissioner to India Stewart Ross Wheeler outside the MEA in New Delhi, Monday. (PTI)

Reiterating what RCMP commissioner had said earlier in the day, Trudeau alleged, “They have clear and compelling evidence that agents of the Government of India have engaged in and continue to engage in activities that pose a significant threat to public safety. This includes clandestine information-gathering techniques, coercive behaviour targeting South Asian Canadians and involvement in a dozen threating and violating acts including murder. This is unacceptable.”

He said, “Canada-India has a long history rooted in people-to-people ties, business and trade. But we cannot abide by what we are seeing right now. Canada fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India and we expect the Indian government to do the same for Canada.”

Read | US, Canada wave red flags together, India rubbishes charge on plot against Khalistan separatists

Trudeau alleged that when intelligence suggested India’s possible involvement in Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing on Canadian soil last summer, his first approach to the Indian government was to request cooperation in addressing the issue.

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“The Indian government had made a fundamental error in thinking that they could engage in supporting criminal activities against Canadians here on Canadian soil, be it murder or extortion. This is absolutely unacceptable,” Trudeau said.

He added, “When I spoke to PM Modi at the end of last week, I highlighted how incredibly important meeting between our national security advisors in Singapore this weekend was going to be. He was aware of that meeting and I pressed upon him that the meeting needs to be taken very very seriously.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly said they did not want a diplomatic confrontation with India, considering the deep people-to-people ties between the two countries but India must cooperate in the investigation.

Earlier she had issued a statement claiming that Canada expelled six diplomats after it asked India to waive their diplomatic and consular immunities and co-operate with the police investigation.

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To a question on ongoing investigations by the US in a related incident, Joly said, “There is a difference between the US investigation and ours . Firstly, a person (Nijjar) died here. Second, there are sitting diplomats involved in the incident and thirdly, the violence actually increased after last year . “

She added that the similarity between the US and Canada is that in both cases it’s difficult to get cooperation from India.

When asked whether Canada would heed NDP’s call for sanctions against India, Joly said they will continue to urge India to cooperate in the investigation and engage with Five Eyes partners. “Everything is on the table ”

Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, Dominic LeBlanc. said he spoke to the US attorney general and discussed what the RCMP was doing . “He discussed the importance of FBI and RCMP sharing all information. The work with Five Eyes and British Home Secretary is to ensure that the police are sharing information .”

Manraj Grewal Sharma

Manraj Grewal Sharma is a senior journalist and the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Chandigarh, where she leads the newspaper’s coverage of north India’s most politically and institutionally significant regions. From Punjab and Haryana to Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, she oversees reporting at the intersection of governance, law, politics and society. She also reports on the diaspora, especially in Canada and the US. With a career spanning journalism across several countries, academia and international development, Manraj brings a rare depth of perspective to regional reporting. She is widely regarded as a leading chronicler of Punjab’s contemporary history and socio-political evolution, particularly its long shadow of militancy, federal tensions and identity politics. Her book, Dreams after Darkness, remains a definitive account of the militancy years and their enduring aftermath. Professional Background & Expertise A gold medalist in mass communication and a post-graduate in English literature, Manraj has a multifaceted career spanning journalism, academia, and international development. She was also awarded a fellowship by National Foundation of India and did several in-depth pieces on Manipur. Internationally, she has reported from Israel, US, UK, Myanmar, and Mauritius Her key focus areas include: Regional Politics, History, Agriculture, Diaspora, and Security. Of late, she has started focusing on Legal & Judicial Affairs: Much of her recent work involves reporting on high-stakes cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ranging from environmental policy to civil rights. International Consulting: She previously served as a consulting editor for the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network and a publishing consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Academia: For five years, she was the managing editor of Gender, Technology and Development, a peer-reviewed international journal at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage focuses heavily on judicial interventions and regional governance: 1. Environment & Governance "‘NGT can’t test legality of policy’: HC hears challenge to Punjab’s ‘Green Habitat’ plan" (Dec 22, 2025): Covering a critical legal battle over whether the National Green Tribunal has the authority to strike down a state policy regularizing farmhouses on delisted forest land. "High court pulls up Punjab poll panel over audio clip probe" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on judicial concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of local body elections. 2. Legal Rights & Social Welfare "HC issues notice to Punjab, Haryana over delay in building old age homes" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on a contempt petition against top officials for failing to establish government-run homes for the elderly as promised in 2019. "Victims can appeal acquittals in sessions court without seeking special leave" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant procedural shift in criminal law following a Supreme Court ruling. "HC upholds benefits for Punjab FCI officer acquitted in 20-year-old bribery case" (Dec 19, 2025): A report on the concept of "honourable acquittal" and its impact on employee benefits. 3. Human Rights & Identity "As Punjab denies parole to MP Amritpal Singh, HC asks it to submit ‘foundational material’" (Dec 1, 2025): Covering the legal proceedings regarding the radical preacher and sitting MP's request to attend Parliament. "Protecting life paramount: HC backs Muslim woman in live-in after verbal divorce" (Nov 6, 2025): Analyzing judicial protections for personal liberty in the context of traditional practices. Signature Beats Manraj is recognized for her ability to decode complex judicial rulings and relate them to the everyday lives of citizens. Whether it is a 30-year-old land battle in Fazilka or the political implications of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy in Mandi, her writing provides deep historical and regional context. Contact @grewal_sharma on X manrajgrewalsharma on Instagram ... Read More

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