New Delhi, 2 Nov: India on Saturday said it has protested in the strongest possible terms the references made by a Canadian minister about Union Home Minister Amit Shah and warned that such “absurd and baseless” allegations will have serious consequences for bilateral ties.
Amid an escalating diplomatic row between the two countries, New Delhi also accused Ottawa of indulging in “harassment and intimidation” of India’s consular staff by putting them under audio and video surveillance in “flagrant violation” of diplomatic conventions.
Canada’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison had alleged on Tuesday that Shah ordered a campaign of violence, intimidation and intelligence-gathering targeting Sikh separatists inside Canada.
It has drawn a sharp reaction from India.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Randhir Jaiswal, in response to a query during a media briefing here on Saturday, said India summoned a Canadian High Commission representative on Friday and the official was served a diplomatic note to lodge protest in the strongest terms.
Morrison had also told Canadian Parliament members of the national security committee that he had confirmed Shah’s name to The Washington Post, which first reported the allegations.
“We had summoned the representative of the Canadian High Commission yesterday. A diplomatic note was handed over in reference to the proceedings of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in Ottawa on October 29.
“It was conveyed in the note that the government of India protests in the strongest terms to the absurd and baseless references made to the Union Home Minister of India before the committee by Deputy Minister David Morrison,” he said.
In fact, the revelation that high Canadian officials “deliberately leak unfounded insinuations” to the international media as part of a “conscious strategy to discredit India”, and influence other nations only confirms the view the government of India has long held about current Canadian government’s political agenda and behavioural pattern, the MEA spokesperson said.
“Such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties,” Jaiswal said.
While addressing the Parliament members, Morrison did not say how Canada knew of Shah’s alleged involvement.
The relations between the two countries came under severe strain following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing.
New Delhi rejected Trudeau’s charges as “absurd”.
India has been maintaining that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity.
Asked about reports claiming the cancellation of a Diwali event at Parliament Hill in Canada, the MEA spokesperson said, “We have seen some reports in this regard. It is unfortunate that the prevailing atmosphere in Canada has reached high levels of intolerance and extremism.”
Jaiswal was also asked about reports claiming that many Indian diplomats in Canada were allegedly under surveillance.
“Yes, some of our consular officials were recently informed by the Canadian government that they have been and continue to be under audio and video surveillance.
“Their communications have also been intercepted. We have formally protested to the Canadian government, as we deem these actions to be in flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions” Jaiswal told reporters.
“By citing technicalities, the Canadian government cannot justify the fact that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation,” he alleged.
The MEA spokesperson again confirmed about the meeting that took place in October in Singapore between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Canadian intelligence officials but reiterated that Canada has “not shared with us any shred of evidence” in the matter related to the Nijjar case.
The briefing took place days after the National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026 report was issued by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security in which India has been named in the list of countries considered cyberthreat “adversaries”.
“Another category Canada has put India into. This categorisation is as per the cyber report that they have issued. It appears to be another example of a Canadian strategy to attack India,” Jaiswal said.
The October 30 report includes a category ‘Cyber threat from state adversaries’ with China placed as the “most comprehensive cyber security threat”. India is named fifth after China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. It is the first time India has been included in the list.
“As I mentioned earlier, their senior officials have openly confessed that they are seeking to manipulate global opinion against India, as on other occasions, imputations are made without any evidence,” Jaiswal said. (PTI)