NEW DELHI: India and Canada are set to enhance their security partnership, with a focus on intelligence sharing and collaborative efforts against transnational crime. This agreement follows Canada’s recent move to list the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday.
The Canadian government officially added the Bishnoi gang to its list of terrorist organizations earlier this week, citing the group’s history of targeting specific communities and creating a climate of fear through intimidation of prominent individuals, businesses, and cultural figures.
During a press briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval held productive discussions with his Canadian counterpart, Nathalie Drouin, on September 18 in New Delhi. The discussions centered on strengthening bilateral security cooperation, particularly in counter-terrorism, combating organized transnational crime, and improving intelligence exchange.
“Both sides agreed to enhance security cooperation and bolster existing engagement mechanisms,” Jaiswal stated, adding that continuous communication on these matters is ongoing.
Bilateral security cooperation had been impacted following allegations made by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September 2023, which suggested a link between Indian government agents and the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey. India had dismissed these accusations as baseless, leading to a significant downturn in diplomatic relations, including the downgrading of diplomatic ties and expulsion of diplomats from both nations.
However, engagement between security and intelligence officials resumed in late 2023, signaling a gradual effort to mend ties. This led to visits by Canada’s intelligence chief and its National Security and Intelligence Adviser to India.
Recently, both countries have appointed new high commissioners and are working to revitalize various bilateral mechanisms across sectors like trade and energy.
The presence of pro-Khalistan elements in Canada continues to be a significant security concern for India. Concurrently, Canada has expressed concerns to India regarding transnational criminal gangs.
Canada’s Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree emphasized that the listing of the Bishnoi gang provides law enforcement with more effective tools to combat their criminal activities, which have involved terror, violence, and intimidation against specific communities. Currently, Canada lists 88 terrorist entities, including two pro-Khalistan groups: Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation. The decision to designate the Bishnoi gang also followed pressure from Canadian provincial governments.