In a significant development, Canada has officially acknowledged for the first time that Khalistani extremists based on its soil are involved in promoting violence in India. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), in its 2024 annual report, confirmed India’s longstanding concerns, marking a pivotal shift in Canada’s stance under the Mark Carney-led government.
The report states that political violence linked to Khalistani extremists began in Canada in the mid-1980s, aimed at creating a separate nation—Khalistan—in India’s Punjab through violent means. Though their numbers remain limited, CSIS noted that some individuals continue to pursue this agenda through violence.
This recognition by CSIS holds critical importance for India, which has consistently raised the issue of extremist activities being orchestrated from Canadian soil. The previous Trudeau administration largely ignored these concerns, but the new government’s acknowledgment may open the door for deeper cooperation between the two nations on counter-terrorism.
