On Tuesday, the Canadian government accused Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, a close associate of Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of orchestrating efforts to target Sikh separatists within Canada. The Indian government has rejected these allegations from Canada as unfounded and has denied any involvement in such activities.

The Washington Post was the first to report that Canadian officials claimed Shah was behind a campaign of violence and intimidation aimed at Sikh separatists in Canada.

During a parliamentary session, Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison stated that he had informed the U.S.-based newspaper of Shah’s alleged involvement. “The journalist reached out to me and inquired if Shah was the individual in question. I confirmed that he was,” Morrison explained to the committee, although he did not provide additional details or evidence. The High Commission of India in Ottawa and the Indian foreign ministry have not yet issued a response.

India has labeled Sikh separatists as “terrorists” and a threat to national security. These separatists seek the establishment of an independent state called Khalistan, which would be formed from Indian territory. The insurgency that took place in India during the 1980s and 1990s resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands. This tumultuous period included the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which claimed thousands of lives following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards, a response to her decision to deploy security forces to storm the holiest Sikh temple in an effort to eliminate Sikh separatists.

In mid-October, Canada expelled Indian diplomats, linking them to the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil in 2023. In retaliation, India also expelled Canadian diplomats. This incident is not isolated; there have been other allegations of India targeting Sikh separatists abroad. The United States has charged a former Indian intelligence officer, Vikash Yadav, for allegedly orchestrating a failed plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen and critic of India, in New York City.

The FBI has issued warnings against any retaliatory actions aimed at U.S. residents. Since announcing in November 2023 that it would formally investigate the allegations made by the U.S., India has remained largely silent. These accusations have strained the relationships between Washington, Ottawa, and New Delhi, which is often seen by Western nations as a counterweight to China.