Sikh Federation Concerned Over Indo-Canada Coordination on Combating Crime

October

2026

Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Senior Diplomatic and International Affairs Advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister David Morrison met in New Delhi on 6 Oct. India and Canada have agreed to deepen coordination on combating transnational organized crime, terrorism, and the extradition of criminal offenders. Both sides also welcomed efforts to advance negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adding that they discussed the growing potential to advance a substantive bilateral defense relationship. The discussions are significant against the backdrop of India and Canada seeking to rebuild security cooperation after years of strained ties. Canada's Sikh advocacy network Sikh Federation (SF) has expressed grave concern about the developments. SF legal counsel Prabhjot Singh wrote to the Canadian Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree saying, 'These developments raise serious questions about Canada's commitment to addressing Indian transnational repression, particularly given the documented history of Indian foreign interference targeting the Sikh community in Canada and documented instances of Indian state involvement in violence against Sikh activists.' SF recommended Canada suspend and independently review security, intelligence, and legal cooperation arrangements with India; implement the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights' June 2023 report; undertake a transparent review of cases in which Sikh activists have been subjected to criminal, immigration, national security, or administrative measures potentially influenced by India; ensure meaningful accountability for Indian officials implicated in foreign interference, surveillance, intimidation, and violence in Canada; and establish an independent public inquiry into Indian transnational repression in Canada. Meanwhile, the US President Donald Trump has announced a deal under which Russia will supply hundreds of thousands of tonnes of diesel to the US and global markets. The irony is the US has repeatedly targeted India over its purchases of Russian oil—from additional penal tariffs last year to a recent law empowering President Trump to impose up to 100% tariffs on top buyers of Russian energy. The US administration has often argued that India is effectively funding Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying Moscow’s crude oil. The US government is also suspending several large Indian IT firms from a key program that allows skilled foreign workers to gain ‌permanent residency. The companies are Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, and Capgemini. The US administration cited alleged fraud and claimed that foreign workers got jobs in the US at the cost of US workers (earlier coverage).