One day before Prime Minister Mark Carney departs for India, federal officials appear to be downplaying the ongoing threat of foreign interference and transnational repression from India.
Speaking to reporters on background during a technical briefing, senior government officials said Carney would probably not be travelling to India if the Canadian government believed India was actively interfering in the Canadian democratic process.
“We have a mature, robust discussion with the Government of India on these issues, and we have robust safeguards in place to avoid foreign interference,” one official said.
In June of last year, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) accused India of being one of the main perpetrators of foreign interference and espionage in Canada.
The report called links between the Government of India and the 2023 murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar a “significant escalation in India’s repression efforts against the Khalistan movement and a clear intent to target individuals in North America.” It also warned Canada had to remain vigilant about continued foreign interference by the Government of India.
It wasn’t the first report warning about India’s alleged involvement in foreign interference. CSIS issued similar warnings in a 2024 report alleging Indian officials and their Canada-based proxy agents engage in a range of activities that seek to influence Canadian communities and politicians. The RCMP has also issued similar warnings.
Government officials would not say when the change happened but said there has been a “systematic engagement” with the government in India, including at the senior officials’ level, ministerial level, and leader level.
“These issues have been raised regularly, and we are confident that we have the basis for further productive discussion,” a government official said.
A second official, who also could not be named, said Canada has “no tolerance” for foreign involvement in Canadian internal affairs. Asked specifically whether Canadian officials believe foreign interference by the Indian government is still happening and whether the Indian government has any links to violent crimes, the second official said Canada has the “right mechanisms to detect and disrupt threats.”
“I really don’t think we’d be taking this trip if we thought these kind of activities were continuing,” the same official said.
In a statement, the World Sikh Organization (WSO) of Canada says it categorically rejects the claim that India is no longer linked to violent crimes and transnational repression in Canada.
“I can say with complete conviction that the claim made by this senior government official is utterly false. It does not align with what Sikh Canadians are experiencing on the ground and what we are seeing firsthand,” WSO president Danish Singh stated in the statement.
“Nothing has been presented publicly to suggest that Indian criminal networks have been dismantled, that accountability has been secured, or that safeguards have been implemented to protect Canadian citizens.”
Carney heads back to Asia to drum up more investment
Carney departs for India on Thursday, marking his third visit to Asia in four months. The 10-day trip also includes stops in Australia and Tokyo.
The government says that throughout the trip, Carney will work to deepen ties in the Indo-Pacific region while also attempting to unlock new opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses across sectors including trade, energy, technology and defence.
On March 2, his first day in New Delhi, Carney will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The prime minister’s office says the two leaders are expected to talk about expanding the Canada-India relationship with what they call “ambitious partnerships” in trade, energy, technology, artificial intelligence, talent, culture and defence.
Asked whether the two leaders will talk about security concerns in Canada and the safety of Canadian citizens, officials said there is a “robust discussion” between the two governments, including between law enforcement agencies and ministers.
“I’m sure the prime minister will speak to continued progress in our cooperation in this space,” one official said.
In New Delhi and Mumbai, Carney will meet with a range of potential investors and CEOs. Government officials speaking on background would not provide any details about who those meetings are with.
The president and chief executive officer of the Business Council of Canada, Goldy Hyder, said the leaders will likely deal with potential security and diplomatic issues, but that Carney’s trip is primarily focused on economic issues and strengthening economic ties.
Hyder, who will be in India for the visit, says India has a lot to offer Canada especially in areas including energy, defence, critical minerals and uranium.
“This is a country that’s moving quickly on renewables,” he said.
Unlike former prime ministers Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau, Carney will not be visiting the Punjab region. When asked why not, government officials said they tried to accommodate as much as they could within the timeline available.
“The stops in in in India, reflect those two objectives and are completely consistent with the pattern you’ve seen on previous travel,” the official said, reflecting a desire to engage with the business community to diversify the Canadian economy and attract investment.
This is the first visit to India for a Canadian Prime Minister since Justin Trudeau in 2023. During that visit, Trudeau’s plane broke down extending his trip to India. Days after Trudeau’s delayed return to Canada, the Canadian government publicly stated that Canadian security agencies had credible allegations that India’s government had links to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. India denied the allegations.
Who else is going?
In addition to a delegation of federal ministers, two provincial premiers will be joining the trade mission.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe will be flying with the prime minister to Mumbai and New Delhi with the goal of expanding access to the Indian market for Saskatchewan producers.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Moe said advancing trade volumes or opportunities to increase trade would be a potential marker of success. He also said he hopes the province would be included in any nuclear uranium supply agreement between India and Canada.
“We’re, I think, happy to see that we have a prime minister that is willing to look at the economic agreements that we have with these countries,” Moe said. “I think we have a role to play in supporting advancing those opportunities. We’ve been waiting some time for to have somebody in the room that’s willing to sign a trade agreement with countries like India.”
The premier estimates trade between the province of Saskatchewan and India represented $18 billion in exports since 2007, and $1.4 billion in exports last year alone. Uranium, potash, and agricultural products make up the bulk of the province’s exports to India.
“This market very much is a crucial one for our province, and there are opportunities to grow this market for years into the future,” Moe said.
In reference to whether he expects to see a broad-based trade agreement, Moe said he hopes the delegation comes away with what he called commitments to reinvigorate the discussion around a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with India.
When asked how likely that is it happen, government officials speaking on background before the trip said the prime minister has expressed a commitment to negotiating a comprehensive economic and partnership agreement.
“We expect that to be formally launched,” one official said during the briefing.
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt will also be joining the prime minister’s delegation for the India portion of the mission.
Speaking about the trip on CTV Power Play, Holt said her province has been doing business with India for quite some time. She says the country represents about $160 million in export opportunities for New Brunswick.
“We know that they are keen to buy the products that New Brunswickers are making, both knowledge industry and technology solutions, as well as our wood, our food, our fish, our minerals,” Holt said. “I’m going over there to meet with people who want to spend money in New Brunswick and support jobs that pay the bills for new Brunswickers.”
While in India, Holt said she has “days full of meetings” with tech companies including Infosys, and HTC.
Asked why the two leaders are coming, government officials said invites were extended to all the premiers, adding the premiers will be pursing their own programs while in the country, as well as working in collaboration with the federal government.
“It’s within the context of CEPA [Canadian Environmental Protection Act] that you will see progress on some of the granular issues that matter to both provinces,” one official said.
The Liberals’ newest MP and former Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux will also be joining the prime minister on his trip. Carney has made Jeneroux a “special advisor on economic and security partnerships.”
Asked today what he expected to accomplish on the trip, Jeneroux said he wants to help support the prime minister’s “aggressive agenda around the world.”
“We will wait and see what comes out of the trip,” he added.
The move comes weeks after another Conservative floor crosser, MP Michael Ma, joined Carney on his official visit to China shortly after switching parties.
What will Carney do in Australia?
The prime minister will head to Sydney and Canberra from March 3 to 6. While in the capital, Carney will make a speech before both houses of Australia’s Parliament, the first address of its kind by a Canadian prime minister in nearly 20 years. Government officials say it will be the first bilateral visit that is not summit related since 2007.
In Sydney, Carney will meet with what officials describe as “key business leaders” to help encourage investment in Canadian industries at home. It remains unclear what business leaders he will be meeting with.
Carney will also be giving a fireside chat at the Lowy Institute on foreign policy and economic prosperity.
Final stop: Japan
The prime minister will conclude his trip in Tokyo, Japan, where he will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and will meet with members of the business community to strengthen cooperation in areas including the auto sector, energy and critical minerals.
The two leaders are expected to discuss a range of global issues in the region and beyond, though officials would not go into further detail.
Government officials say a number of MOUs and commercial management deals will be announced during at least two of the stops, with more announcements in the works.
