India has vehemently denied allegations made by Canadian authorities regarding Indian interference in Canada ‘s elections, urging Ottawa to take concrete steps to address concerns about meddling in India’s internal affairs. The rebuttal from New Delhi comes in response to reports in the Canadian media citing a Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) report alleging that India engages in foreign interference activities, alongside China, in Canadian elections.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, speaking at a regular media briefing, categorically rejected these allegations as baseless and unfounded. He emphasized that it is not the policy of the Indian government to interfere in the democratic processes of other countries. Instead, Jaiswal asserted that Canada has been the party interfering in India’s internal affairs, with India consistently raising this issue with the Canadian authorities. Jaiswal’s statement referenced recent accusations by New Delhi that Canadian diplomats had been meddling in India’s domestic matters.
The backdrop to this denial is the strained relationship between India and Canada, exacerbated by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation last year of a “potential link” between Indian government agents and the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India swiftly dismissed Trudeau’s claim as absurd. This incident led to a deterioration in bilateral ties, prompting India to suspend the issuance of visas to Canadians, although this restriction was lifted in November. Additionally, India sought parity in diplomatic presence, resulting in Canada withdrawing 41 diplomats from India in October.
The denial from India regarding allegations of interference in Canadian elections underscores the seriousness with which New Delhi views such accusations and its commitment to maintaining the integrity of diplomatic relations between the two countries. As Canada continues its inquiry into foreign interference in its electoral processes, the dynamics between India and Canada remain under scrutiny, with the hope of eventual normalization and improvement in bilateral relations.
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