Carney says he cannot guarantee India will not be linked to crimes in Canada

Prime Minister Mark Carney said he cannot guarantee the Indian government will no longer be linked to crimes in Canada, even as Ottawa pursues closer diplomatic, trade and security ties with New Delhi. In a New York Times interview published in transcript form over the weekend, Carney said there was “some evidence” that renewed engagement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had brought progress on Canadians’ security.

Asked whether he could assure Canadians that India would no longer be connected to crimes such as arson, extortion, harassment or murder, Carney replied that he could not guarantee no crime would occur in Canada. Canada’s security agencies have for years identified India as a significant foreign-interference concern. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau previously cited intelligence linking Indian agents to the 2023 killing of Sikh Canadian Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and the RCMP in 2024 publicly alleged Indian government links to violent crime in Canada.

India has repeatedly rejected such allegations. Carney visited India in March and has framed dialogue as necessary for direct security messages and cooperation. Analysts who study transnational repression said the remarks risk sounding dismissive to diaspora communities that say Ottawa still underplays threats on Canadian soil. Modi is expected to visit Canada later this year amid efforts to conclude a bilateral trade deal.