After charging China and Russia, Canada for the first time has accused India of election meddling.
Amid the ongoing diplomatic tension between the two nations, Canada on Friday named India as a 'foreign threat' that could potentially interfere in their elections. As per media reports, the allegation was made by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in a declassified intelligence report.
This allegation came as the latest development in the war of words between the two nations that erupted when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an explosive allegation regarding the Indian government’s involvement in orchestrating the assassination of pro-Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil, which India denied.
According to the October 2022 report titled 'Foreign Interference and Elections: A National Security Assessment', India has been termed as a 'threat' and warned that foreign interference was weakening Canada's democracy.
After charging China and Russia, Canada for the first time has accused India of election meddling. A 'Briefing to the Minister of Democratic Institutions on Foreign Interference' in February last year referred to China as "by far the most significant threat."
"We know that the PRC sought to clandestinely and deceptively influence the 2019 and 2021 federal elections," it quoted the report, referring to the People's Republic of China.
The parts of the document made public names no country, but other materials name India and China as top threats, the media said. It said foreign interference harms Canada and Canadians "by eroding sovereignty, democratic processes and values."
"FI (foreign interference) activities incrementally weaken the fabric of Canadian democracy, subtly diminish the hard-won social cohesion of a multicultural society, and impinge on the Charter rights of Canadians," it said.
The Canadian Prime Minister has ordered an inquiry into the charges.