Canada has, for the first time, officially acknowledged Khalistani extremists operating from its soil, marking a major diplomatic win for India. BJP leader Amit Malviya hailed the Canadian intelligence report as a breakthrough in recognizing threats long raised by New Delhi. A pivotal shift in Indo-Canadian relations.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya has lauded Canada’s formal recognition of Khalistani extremism operating from its soil as a “major takeaway” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent foreign visit. The statement was made shortly after PM Modi’s return from a successful three-nation tour that included his participation in the 2025 G7 Summit.
Taking to social media, Malviya emphasized that this marks the first time Canada has officially used the term “extremism” in relation to Khalistani elements. He underlined that this change in tone signals a substantial shift in Ottawa’s previous approach, which had largely ignored India’s repeated warnings about anti-India activities being orchestrated from Canadian territory.
“This is a significant admission. Despite years of India raising concerns, Canada had largely turned a blind eye. But now, its own intelligence confirms what New Delhi has long maintained — Canada has become a safe haven for anti-India elements,” Malviya posted.
His remarks were supported by an excerpt from a recent report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), which officially acknowledges that Khalistani extremists are using Canadian soil as a base for promoting, fundraising, and planning violence, primarily targeting India.
According to the report cited by Malviya, “Khalistani extremists continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising, or planning of violence primarily in India.” The report also detailed that since the mid-1980s, Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) have engaged in politically motivated violent extremism (PMVE) aimed at establishing an independent Khalistan, particularly within India’s Punjab region.
The CSIS document further elaborated: “PMVE encourages the use of violence to establish new political systems or structures. PMVE actors engage in the planning, financing, and facilitating of attacks globally.”
This revelation is being interpreted as a watershed moment in Indo-Canadian diplomatic relations, as it comes on the heels of PM Modi’s interaction with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the G7 Summit. It is being seen as a direct outcome of New Delhi’s persistent diplomatic efforts to sensitize the global community to the dangers posed by separatist movements exploiting foreign democracies to launch targeted actions against India.
The BJP leader’s statement also implicitly contrasts the new Canadian government under PM Carney with that of his predecessor Justin Trudeau. Under Trudeau, India had expressed repeated frustration at what it saw as a lack of willingness to act against Khalistani sympathizers. Trudeau’s perceived inaction had strained Indo-Canadian relations, particularly after allegations of political appeasement to extremist groups in the Sikh diaspora.
The change in rhetoric from Canadian authorities, now corroborated by the intelligence agency’s report, appears to reflect a shift in the Canadian government’s stance under Prime Minister Carney. Malviya suggested that this evolution is a result of continued Indian diplomacy at the highest levels, now yielding measurable results.
India has been increasingly vocal on the global stage about the need to address cross-border extremism, particularly from countries that host large diasporas with ties to separatist agendas. PM Modi, during his G7 engagements, reportedly raised the issue of foreign sanctuaries being used to promote violence and division within India.
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Malviya’s statement adds weight to the narrative that international cooperation is essential to tackling terrorism and extremism in all its forms, including secessionist ideologies like Khalistan. The recognition by CSIS offers New Delhi a diplomatic advantage and potentially lays the groundwork for further cooperation between the two countries on counter-terrorism initiatives.
As the world increasingly grapples with transnational extremist threats, this latest development may mark a pivotal moment in the global recognition of Khalistani extremism not just as an Indian concern, but as an international security challenge.
