What Happened
- National Security Advisor Ajit Doval visited Canada and held talks with Nathalie Drouin, Deputy Clerk and National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister, reopening a security information channel between the two countries.
- The two sides agreed on a "shared workplan to guide bilateral cooperation on national security and law enforcement issues and to enable practical collaboration on respective priorities."
- A key outcome was the agreement to treat Khalistan-related activities as terrorism and organised crime rather than as a matter of free speech, marking a significant shift in Canada's approach.
- India and Canada agreed to share real-time intelligence on Khalistani extremist elements, including information on fund-raising through charities and gurdwaras, and cooperation on dismantling narcotics cartels funding the Khalistan movement.
- The visit came after the departure of former PM Justin Trudeau and signalled a reset in bilateral relations following a severe diplomatic crisis that began in September 2023 over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Static Topic Bridges
The India-Canada Diplomatic Crisis (2023-2025)
The bilateral relationship between India and Canada deteriorated sharply after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau alleged in September 2023 that there were "credible allegations" linking Indian government agents to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and Sikh separatist leader, who was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18, 2023. The crisis led to a series of diplomatic expulsions, downsized missions, and a near-complete breakdown in security cooperation.
- Nijjar killing: June 18, 2023, in Surrey, British Columbia
- Trudeau allegations: September 18, 2023, in Canadian Parliament
- Tit-for-tat expulsions: Canada expelled India's High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and five other diplomats (October 2024); India expelled six Canadian diplomats in response
- Canada reduced its diplomatic staff in India; India demanded reduction to 21 Canadian diplomats
- Three Indian nationals arrested in May 2024 for Nijjar's murder: Kamalpreet Singh, Karanpreet Singh, Karan Brar
- US DOJ charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta over a foiled assassination plot against Sikh American activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun (November 2023)
- Relations began to reset after Trudeau's departure from office
Connection to this news: Doval's visit represents the first substantive security-level engagement since the crisis. The agreement on a shared workplan and real-time intelligence sharing signals both countries moving beyond the diplomatic rupture towards operational cooperation, particularly on the Khalistan issue.
Khalistan Movement and India's Internal Security Concerns
The Khalistan movement seeks to create an independent Sikh homeland (Khalistan) carved out of India's Punjab. The movement was at its most violent during the 1980s and early 1990s in India, culminating in the assassination of PM Indira Gandhi (1984) and the Air India bombing (1985). While the movement was largely suppressed within India by the mid-1990s, it has persisted among elements of the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada (which has the largest Sikh population outside India, estimated at 770,000), the UK, and Australia.
- Operation Blue Star: June 1984; Indian Army operation to remove militants from the Golden Temple, Amritsar
- Air India Flight 182 bombing: June 23, 1985; 329 killed; carried out by Khalistani separatists based in Canada
- Sikh population in Canada: approximately 770,000 (about 2% of Canada's population)
- Banned organisations in India: Babbar Khalsa International, International Sikh Youth Federation, Khalistan Commando Force — all under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (amended multiple times, most recently 2019)
- UAPA, 1967: India's primary anti-terror legislation; allows designation of organisations as "unlawful" or "terrorist"
- India alleges ISI (Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence) support for Khalistan revival through narcotics trade funding
Connection to this news: The agreement to classify Khalistan-related activities as terrorism and organised crime represents a fundamental shift in Canada's position. Previously, Canada treated such activities under its free speech protections. The intelligence-sharing mechanism on fund-raising and narcotics will enable coordinated disruption of Khalistani networks operating across both countries.
National Security Advisor (NSA) — Role in India's Security Architecture
India's NSA is the principal adviser to the Prime Minister on national security and strategic affairs. The position was created in 1998 following the Kargil conflict and the recommendations of the Group of Ministers on national security. The NSA heads the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and coordinates between defence, intelligence, and foreign policy establishments. Ajit Doval has served as NSA since May 2014.
- NSA position created: November 1998; first NSA: Brajesh Mishra (1998-2004)
- Current NSA: Ajit Doval (since May 2014); previously served in IB (Intelligence Bureau)
- NSA chairs: Strategic Policy Group (SPG), which is the principal mechanism for inter-ministerial coordination on national security
- National Security Council (NSC): chaired by the PM; members include Ministers of Defence, External Affairs, Home Affairs, and Finance
- NSA-level talks: India uses NSA-level engagements for sensitive bilateral discussions — notably with China (Special Representatives mechanism on boundary question, where NSA is India's SR), Pakistan, and now Canada
- NSA's counterpart in Canada: National Security and Intelligence Advisor (NSIA) to the PM
Connection to this news: Doval's Canada visit at the NSA level (rather than the Foreign Secretary or ministerial level) underscores the security-centric nature of the engagement. NSA-level talks typically address sensitive matters requiring confidentiality and direct access to heads of government, making it the appropriate channel for intelligence-sharing arrangements on Khalistan.
Key Facts & Data
- NSA Doval's Canadian counterpart: Nathalie Drouin (Deputy Clerk and NSIA to the Canadian PM)
- Nijjar killing: June 18, 2023, Surrey, British Columbia
- Trudeau allegations against India: September 18, 2023
- India-Canada diplomatic expulsions: October 2024 (6 diplomats expelled by each side)
- Sikh population in Canada: approximately 770,000
- Air India Flight 182 bombing: June 23, 1985; 329 killed; Khalistani separatists in Canada
- UAPA, 1967: India's primary anti-terror legislation for banning organisations
- NSA position created: November 1998; Ajit Doval is NSA since May 2014
- Key outcome: Khalistan-related activities to be treated as terrorism/organised crime, not free speech
- Real-time intelligence sharing on Khalistani fund-raising and narco-terror networks agreed upon