India among top sources of foreign interference in Canada: PM Trudeau’s NSA

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s national security adviser, Jody Thomas, has said that India is among the top sources of foreign interference in Canada.

“When I talk about foreign interference and economic security, I now mean a number of state actors and non-state proxies,” Jody Thomas said last week at a conference organized by the Canadian Institute of Global Affairs.

“This includes Russia, Iran and India. That being said, the player that comes up the most on these issues, and it doesn’t surprise anyone, is China,” he told the Toronto Star.

University of British Columbia professor Vina Nadjibulla told the Toronto Star it was “surprising” that Thomas included India along with the other three countries, a move that could affect India’s close ties with Canada.

The NSA comments came months after the Liberals singled out India as part of their Indo-Pacific strategy and as a priority for closer economic and scientific ties.

“The diplomatic relationship we have with India is improving rapidly, but I think we would be fooling ourselves if we didn’t acknowledge some of the diaspora politics and local issues here in Canada that will have a significant impact,” Nadjibulla said.

According to The Star, “Federal agencies have indirectly warned in recent years that India exerts undue influence in Canada, but rarely by name.”

By contrast, India has strongly protested to the Canadian government against radical Khalistan elements organizing referendums in North American nations and meddling in India’s internal affairs, particularly farmers’ protests.

Despite India’s urging to act, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took no action against a new wave of Khalistani activism in Canada.

This is because Trudeau heads a New Democratic Party (NDP)-backed minority government, headed by Jagmeet Singh, a Khalistani supporter, IANS previously reported.

Singh’s NDP has 24 seats in parliament, whose support is critical to the survival of the Trudeau government.

Singh has repeatedly been criticized on Twitter for trying to meddle in Indian affairs, especially after he “raised concern” over the Punjab crackdown on ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief and Khalistan sympathizer Amritpal Singh.

According to India Narrative, Singh has long been suspected of attempts to link Khalistani and Kashmiri separatism from his position in Canada. He is apparently connected to prominent Khalistani and Kashmiri separatist groups based in different countries in Europe, according to media reports.

–IANOS

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