Canada Labels India as Second Largest Foreign Threat to Its Democracy After China. Russia Falls to Third

A high-level Canadian parliamentary committee has labels India as the "second biggest foreign threat" to Canada's democracy, following China. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his government's serious concerns regarding foreign interference in a statement reported by the Hindustan Times. The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), composed of members with top security clearances from both the House of Commons and the Senate, released the report amid strained India-Canada relations.

The report's release coincides with heightened tensions between the two nations, exacerbated by Trudeau's earlier allegations that Indian government agents were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. New Delhi has dismissed these accusations as baseless. The report alleges that "India has become the second-most significant foreign interference threat to Canada’s democratic institutions and processes, displacing Russia. India’s foreign interference efforts have gradually expanded beyond countering pro-Khalistan elements in Canada. These efforts include intervention in Canadian democratic systems and institutions, targeting Canadian politicians, ethnic media, and the Indo-Canadian ethnocultural communities." The 84-page report makes 44 references to India.

Indian officials have not yet responded to these allegations. Previously, New Delhi has denied similar claims, accusing Canadian officials of interfering in Indian affairs and harboring extremist elements linked to the Khalistani movement. The NSICOP report suggests that some Canadian Members of Parliament may have been influenced by foreign powers, engaging in inappropriate communication with foreign missions, attempting to sway colleagues improperly, and sharing confidential information with foreign diplomats.

Additionally, the report indicates that some MPs may have received financial support from foreign entities or their representatives. The report identifies China as the primary actor in foreign interference, highlighting it as the "most prolific" in such activities. The strategies employed by China aim at bolstering the legitimacy and stability of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the report asserts.

"In its efforts to safeguard and reinforce the CCP's legitimacy and stability both domestically and internationally, China utilizes a comprehensive strategy to target and leverage almost all facets of Canada's democratic procedures and institutions to advance its strategic interests," the report states.