No official response from India yet to Canada's accusations against Amit Shah

On 16 October, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were “ever clearer indications” that India violated Canada’s sovereignty by targeting Sikh separatist activists in its territory. India’s actions, Trudeau added, were a “horrific mistake”

Late on Tuesday, Canada accused Union home minister Amit Shah of being behind "a campaign of violence and intimidation" targeting pro-Khalistan activists, a statement that is likely to aggravate the ongoing diplomatic spat between Ottawa and New Delhi.

There has been no official response from India so far, though Reuters reported on Wednesday that government officials had rejected the accusation.

Deputy foreign affairs minister David Morrison told members of the national security committee on Tuesday that the government considers Shah "the architect of the campaign" against Sikh separatists in Canada, including the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year.

Morrison told committee members that he had confirmed Shah’s name to the Washington Post, which had earlier also reported the allegations. "The journalist called me and asked if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person," Morrison told the committee, though he did not reveal the evidence to support Canada’s allegation.

Trudeau had previously said Canada had credible evidence that agents of the Indian government were involved in the murder of Canadian Sikh activist Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023, an allegation that launched a downward spiral in India-Canada relations.

At a press conference last month, senior Canadian police officials accused India’s high commissioner to Canada and several senior diplomats and consular staff of being involved in “criminal” activities in Canada, including "homicides, extortion, intimidation and harassment". They also alleged that the threats were primarily against members of the Sikh diaspora living in Canada.

Canada claims to have presented India's national security advisor Ajit Doval with intelligence linking Indian government officials to illegal activities, including assassinations, that have occurred in Canada. India claims it has not seen any compelling evidence, and has so far refused to cooperate with the Canadian investigation.

Canada has so far arrested three Indian citizens who it claims were part of a group which shot and killed Nijjar. However, Canadian authorities are yet to press charges against any Indian government employees, and say the investigation is continuing.

Trudeau, however, has maintained that Canada's attempt to use "backroom discussions" with India to resolve the issue had met with resistance. At a parliamentary hearing in September, Trudeau said Canada had clear intelligence linking Indian diplomats to “drive-by shootings, home invasions, violent extortion and even murder in and across Canada”.