MELBOURNE, Australia — On Tuesday, Australia’s Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, confirmed she brought up accusations against India with her Indian counterpart regarding allegations that India has targeted Sikh activists residing in Canada.
Wong engaged in discussions with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar while he was visiting the Australian capital, Canberra. In response to claims from Canada, India has denied that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah authorized any action against Sikh activists living there.
The Foreign Minister expressed her commitment to ensuring the Sikh community understands their rights to safety and respect in Australia, irrespective of their identity.
“We have clearly communicated our concerns regarding the allegations that are under scrutiny. We respect the judicial processes in Canada,” Wong stated at a press conference alongside Jaishankar. She emphasized that Australia maintains a principled stance towards issues related to the rule of law, judicial independence, and the sovereignty of all nations.
Jaishankar countered the allegations by accusing Canada of subjecting Indian diplomats to surveillance, which he deemed “unacceptable.” He criticized Canada for forming a pattern of making statements without specific details.
Australia and Canada enjoy close intelligence-sharing relationships as part of the Five Eyes alliance, which also includes the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. This diplomatic crisis escalated over the weekend when India formally rejected Canada’s claims of targeting Sikh activists, labelling them as “absurd and baseless.”
Additionally, Jaishankar expressed his concern over an incident of vandalism at a Hindu temple near Toronto, which occurred on Sunday. Reports indicated clashes between demonstrators supporting the Sikh separatist movement and others displaying India’s national flag inside the temple grounds. Indian consular officials were present during the incident, though the cause of the conflict remains unclear.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the violence at the temple, calling it “unacceptable” and affirming that all Canadians deserve the freedom to practice their faith safely.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi labeled the attack on the temple as “equally appalling,” denouncing attempts to intimidate Indian diplomats. He expressed expectations that Canada would ensure justice amidst such acts of violence.
Tensions between Canada and India have escalated since Trudeau’s announcement last year regarding credible allegations linking the Indian government to the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada—a claim India has fervently dismissed.
New Delhi has long been concerned about Sikh separatist movements and has increasingly accused Canada of allowing these groups to thrive, particularly those advocating for Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland in India.
The diplomatic spat resulted in both nations expelling their top diplomats last month. Jaishankar reaffirmed the idea that while freedoms are essential, they should not be misused.
Canada is not alone in accusing Indian officials of orchestrating assassinations on foreign soil. The United States Justice Department recently announced criminal charges against an Indian government employee linked to a foiled plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader in New York City.
According to the Justice Department, Vikash Yadav, who allegedly coordinated the New York plan from India, faces charges related to murder-for-hire in what prosecutors conveyed was a strategy leading to a series of politically motivated murders across the United States and Canada.