A report by a Canadian commission has contradicted the accusations made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who had alleged that Indian agents were involved in the assassination of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. According to a report by news agency PTI, the commission stated that “no definitive link” to a “foreign state” had been “proven” in Nijjar’s killing.

This finding was included in a 123-page report titled ‘Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions,’ which was released on Tuesday. The same report also alleged that India has interfered in the Canadian elections.

India strongly refuted the accusations made by the report. The Ministry of External Affairs responded to the report, “We have seen a report about alleged activities on purported interference. It is, in fact Canada which has been consistently interfering in India's internal affairs. This has also created an environment for illegal migration and organised criminal activities. We reject the report's insinuations on India and expect that the support system enabling illegal migration will not be further countenanced.”

Tensions between India and Canada escalated after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of being involved in the assassination of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Trudeau claimed that Canada had sufficient evidence to prove that agents of the Indian government played a role in Nijjar’s killing. However, India firmly rejected these allegations, dismissing them as "absurd."

Nijjar was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. His killing led to a deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two nations, culminating in the expulsion of diplomats on both sides.

According to the report, in October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, prompting India to take retaliatory action by also expelling six Canadian diplomats and announcing the withdrawal of its high commissioner from Canada.