The government issued a strong statement on Monday, criticising Canada for implying that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats are involved in an investigation. India called these claims "preposterous imputations" and dismissed them as part of Prime Minister Trudeau's political strategy aimed at securing votes. India also stated that it might take further action in response to these allegations. 

Ties between India and Canada have been tense since September last year when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian government agents of being involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. India strongly denied these claims, calling them "motivated and absurd." Recently, the diplomatic dispute escalated as Canada identified India's High Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar Verma, as a 'person of interest' in its investigation into Nijjar's death.

The Ministry of External Affairs accused Trudeau of engaging in vote-bank politics and failing to adequately address separatist elements on Canadian soil in a statement released today, claiming that despite repeated requests, the Canadian government has not shared any proof of India's involvement in Nijjar's murder. 

"Since Prime Minister Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, the Canadian government has not shared a shred of evidence with the Government of India, despite many requests from our side. This latest step follows interactions that have again witnessed assertions without any facts. This leaves little doubt that on the pretext of an investigation, there is a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains," read the statement. Trudeau's 2018 visit to India "was aimed at currying favour with a vote bank, rebounded to his discomfort," according to the government, which cited extensive evidence of his animosity toward India.  

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticised Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's actions. They pointed out that his government included people linked to extremist and separatist views on India. They also mentioned Trudeau's interference in India's internal politics in December 2020, highlighting how far he was willing to go. The situation worsened because his government relied on the support of the New Democratic Party, led by Jagmeet Singh, who openly supported a separatist ideology against India.

In reference to Jagmeet Singh, the leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, whose party left Trudeau's administration, the MEA said, “His Cabinet has included individuals who have openly associated with an extremist and separatist agenda regarding India. His naked interference in Indian internal politics in December 2020 showed how far he was willing to go in this regard. That his government was dependent on a political party, whose leader openly espouses a separatist ideology vis-a-vis India, only aggravated matters.”

The government claimed that the Trudeau administration raised the issue of India on purpose "to mitigate the damage" and that Canada was criticised for failing to stop foreign meddling in Canadian affairs. "This latest development targeting Indian diplomats is now the next step in that direction. It is no coincidence that it takes place as Prime Minister Trudeau is to depose before a Commission on foreign interference. It also serves the anti-India separatist agenda that the Trudeau Government has constantly pandered to for narrow political gains," it said.

In the name of free speech, the MEA pointed to the Trudeau administration's ongoing assistance to terrorists and violent extremists who harass, threaten, and intimidate Indian diplomats in Canada. "To that end, the Trudeau government has consciously provided space to violent extremists and terrorists to harass, threaten and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada. This has included death threats to them and to Indian leaders. All these activities have been justified in the name of freedom of speech," it stated. "Some individuals who have entered Canada illegally have been fast-tracked for citizenship. Multiple extradition requests from the Government of India in respect of terrorists and organised crime leaders living in Canada have been disregarded," it added. 

"High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma is India’s senior-most serving diplomat with a distinguished career spanning 36 years. He has been an Ambassador in Japan and Sudan, while also serving in Italy, Turkiye, Vietnam and China. The aspersions cast on him by the Government of Canada are ludicrous and deserve to be treated with contempt," said the MEA. As part of "the political agenda" of the Trudeau administration, the government claimed to have taken note of the actions of the Canadian High Commission in India. "This led to the implementation of the principle of reciprocity in regard to diplomatic representation. India now reserves the right to take further steps in response to these latest efforts of the Canadian Government to concoct allegations against Indian diplomats," it further added.

Trudeau and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met briefly on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Laos on October 11. Trudeau claims that he discussed the "work that we need to do" with PM Modi. "I won't go into details about what we talked about. But what I have said many times is that the safety of Canadians and upholding the rule of law is one of the fundamental responsibilities of any Canadian government, and that's what I'll stay focused on," he said. In June of last year, Nijjar, the head of the Khalistan Tiger Force, someone the Indian government wanted, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, Canada.