Indian diplomats in Canada under surveillance, government protests violation of protocol
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Indian diplomats in Vancouver have been notified by Canadian authorities that they remain under audio and video surveillance, with their private communications being intercepted, the Indian government revealed in Parliament on Thursday.
This revelation has further strained the already tense relations between New Delhi and Ottawa.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed the Rajya Sabha that the Indian government lodged a formal protest with the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi on November 2, 2024. “These actions are a flagrant violation of all diplomatic provisions,” Singh said in response to a query about surveillance targeting Indian diplomats in Canada.
New Delhi has criticized these actions as harassment and intimidation, deeming them incompatible with established diplomatic norms. Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “By citing technicalities, the Canadian government cannot justify these actions, which exacerbate an already challenging environment for our personnel.”
Diplomatic ties between India and Canada have been strained since September 2023, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged a link between Indian government agents and the killing of Khalistan separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey. Nijjar, a proponent of an independent Sikh nation, Khalistan, was designated a terrorist by India.
New Delhi dismissed the allegations as “absurd and motivated,” accusing Canada of shielding individuals who threaten India’s sovereignty.
Adding to the discord, Canada’s Centre for Cyber Security, in its National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-26 released on October 30, categorized India as a “cyber threat from state adversaries.” Responding on November 2, New Delhi criticized the report as another instance of Canada’s “negative approach” toward bilateral ties, stating that such imputations lacked evidence.
