India Rebukes Election Interference Claims, Accuses Canada of Meddling in Internal Affairs

New Delhi: In a strong rebuttal, India has vehemently rejected allegations of interfering in Canada’s elections, accusing the North American nation of meddling in its internal affairs instead. This escalating diplomatic spat stems from a declassified Canadian intelligence report identifying India as a potential “foreign threat” to their democratic processes.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, addressed reporters, dismissing claims of Indian interference in Canadian elections as “baseless.” He asserted that India adheres to a policy of non-interference in the democratic processes of other nations.

Jaiswal highlighted Canada’s alleged interference in India’s internal affairs, urging Canada to address India’s concerns effectively. This latest development follows a series of allegations and counter-allegations between the two countries, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously implicating India in the murder of a Khalistani terrorist, a claim India refuted.

Canada’s declassified intelligence report from October 2022 labelled India as a “threat,” citing concerns about foreign interference undermining Canada’s democracy. Similar accusations were made against China and Russia, with China identified as the most significant threat.

Tensions between India and Canada escalated following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reprimand of Justin Trudeau regarding secessionist activities during a bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Delhi last year. Trudeau later accused “Indian government agents” of involvement in the shooting of the Khalistani terrorist, who held Canadian citizenship.