Canada’s intelligence agency officially acknowledged the threat posed by Khalistani elements within the country on Friday. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) report, tabled in Parliament, highlighted that activities of Canada-based Khalistani separatists continue to promote a violent extremist agenda.
Air India Bombing Anniversary Mentioned
The report specifically noted the 40th anniversary of the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing, also known as the Kanishka bombing. It stated: “This past year marked the 40th anniversary of the bombing of Air India Flight 182, whose suspects were members of Canada-based Khalistani extremist (CBKE) groups. It remains to this day the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history, with 329 people killed, most of them Canadians. There were no CBKE related attacks in Canada in 2025.”
Ongoing National Security Threat
The report, as cited by ANI, further warned about continued risks linked to such groups, saying: “Ongoing involvement in violent extremist activities by CBKEs continues to pose a national security threat to Canada and to Canadian interests. Some CBKEs are well connected to Canadian citizens who leverage Canadian institutions to promote their violent extremist agenda and collect funds from unsuspecting community members that are then diverted toward violent activities.” The assessment is based on Canadian intelligence for 2025 and appears to reflect a shift in tone following changes in political leadership, including the appointment of Mark Carney.
RCMP Commissioner Comments
Meanwhile, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Mike Duheme endorsed parts of the assessment but stated there is no evidence linking threats to India. In an interview with CTV, he said: “Well, what I quoted in 2024 was based on the criminal investigation that we had at the time. The government official who made that quote, I'm not quite sure who briefed him. What I'm saying is that that particular file at that time, yes, I did say you had agents or proxies from the government. But what we're seeing right now in transnational repression, the dots don't always connect to a foreign entity.”
Background of India-Canada Tensions
India-Canada relations have been strained in recent years over concerns in Canada regarding alleged Khalistani separatist activity and allegations that Indian agents were involved in the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in 2023. India has strongly rejected these allegations, calling them “politically motivated.”
