India not involved: Canadian investigation clears India of election interference claims

An extensive investigation into allegations of foreign interference in Canada's 2021 federal elections has concluded that India did not meddle in the electoral process. 

The probe, led by a panel of senior Canadian officials, was initiated amid concerns over the integrity of national polls and followed claims by the Canada Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) suggesting potential interference by both India and Pakistan in the 2019 and 2021 elections.

The panel, which included senior officials such as former Deputy Foreign Minister Marta Morgan and former Cabinet Secretary Janice Charette, found no evidence to support the allegations against India, according to a New 18 report. 

According to Morgan, there was a lack of information on any disinformation campaigns originating from India within the Canadian information ecosystem. Charette also noted the absence of tactics that could be traced back to the Indian government during the election campaign.

However, the same investigation has also revealed that China had interfered in the last two Canadian elections, both of which were won by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party. 

The controversy had led Prime Minister Trudeau to establish a commission to delve into the matter of foreign interference, with Trudeau himself scheduled to testify before the inquiry panel. 

In response to the initial allegations of India's involvement in rigging the elections, India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, strongly denied the claims, emphasising India's commitment to non-interference in the democratic processes of other countries. He further accused Canada of meddling in India's internal affairs.

The diplomatic relations between Canada and India have been further strained previously due to Trudeau's allegations and claims of Indian involvement in the killing of a Khalistani separatist on Canadian soil. In response to this, India had also briefly paused visa operations in Canada.