Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is all set to visit India for crucial trade discussions. Notably, the diplomatic atmosphere between India and Canada has been tense since former Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau accused India of killing Khalistani Sikh Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Just before Carney’s visit to India, Canadian police have issued a “credible threat” warning to Khalistani Moninder Singh, which has now added another layer of complexity to India Canada relations.
According to media reports, on 22nd February, an officer from the Vancouver Police Department visited Singh’s residence in Surrey, British Columbia, to deliver what is known as a “Duty to Warn” notice. Such advisories are issued when law enforcement receives information about a potential threat to an individual’s safety. Singh is the chief of the Sikh Federation of Canada and has been a supporter of the Khalistan movement.
Police did not publicly attribute the so called threat to any country or organisation and declined to provide any further details, stating that it is an ongoing investigation. However, Singh has previously claimed that India targets pro Khalistan figures abroad. Notably, India has consistently denied such allegations and has repeatedly demanded evidence for the same, which the Canadian authorities have failed to provide.
This latest warning reportedly included Singh’s wife and children, marking the first time his family has been formally mentioned in such an advisory.
Earlier in 2022, Singh had received a similar notice alongside Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead in Surrey in 2023. Nijjar’s murder triggered a major diplomatic row between India and Canada after Trudeau accused India of killing him without presenting any credible proof. India strongly rejected the claim and called it baseless and politically motivated. In 2024, Moninder Singh was roped in by ABC News to spread lies about India.
Subsequent Canadian statements linked violent incidents to criminal networks such as the Bishnoi gang. Indian officials have maintained that Canada has failed to provide verifiable evidence connecting any Indian state agency to such crimes. Due to the strained relations between India and Canada, trade between the two nations was severely affected.
Carney seeks to strengthen economic engagement with India, especially now as Canada is trying to diversify trade partnerships amid global tariff uncertainties. From India’s perspective, bilateral ties are strategically and economically important.
However, India has not shied away from calling out Canada’s policies towards separatists, gangsters and terrorists hiding on its soil who are wanted in India. Furthermore, India has repeatedly urged Canada to take firm action against Khalistani extremism operating from its soil and has stressed that such elements misuse democratic freedoms to target India’s sovereignty and diplomatic interests.
