‘It is in fact Canada…’: India rejects Canadian commission’s report on foreign meddling in electoral process

The Indian government has rejected a report by a Canadian commission that accused India and China of meddling in their election process. The Foreign Interference Commission in its report stated that foreign meddling in Canada's elections was not a new phenomenon but that it was on the rise and the methods used were changing.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), rejecting the report, added that it is Canada that has always interfered in India’s internal affairs. 

“We have seen a report about alleged activities on purported interference. It is in fact Canada which has been consistently interfering in India’s internal affairs. This has also created an environment for illegal migration and organized criminal activities. We reject the report’s insinuations on India and expect that the support system enabling illegal migration will not be further countenanced,” said the MEA. 

The report is the culmination of a probe that was set up in September 2023 in response to media reports about possible Chinese interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 elections. The report confirmed the findings of an interim report that was released in May last year that foreign interference had not changed the outcome of the elections but it had eroded public confidence in the system. 

Like India, China has also condemned the report. Calling it ‘groundless accusations’, China said that neither has it ever interfered in Canada’s internal affairs, nor is it interested in doing so. 

WHAT THE REPORT STATED

The Canadian commission’s report stated that India is the second most active country when it comes to electoral foreign interference. It said that India, like China, is a critical actor in the world stage, and that while both India and China have worked together, there are challenges in the relationship. "Many of these are long standing and inform India's foreign interference activities," the 123-page report stated.

It highlighted the expulsion of six diplomats in October, and called them agents. India, in a tit-for-tat move had also expelled six Canadian diplomats after criticising Canada for its baseless allegations and targeting of the Indian High Commissioner in the country. 

While the report stated that India spread disinformation regarding the killing of Khalistani Hardeep Singh Nijjar, it acknowledged that Canada could not find a link to a foreign state on his killing.