India-Canada diplomatic relations have suffered another significant setback with the Trudeau government including India in its list of nations posing cyber threats. The Canadian government has also raised concerns about the possibility of state-sponsored espionage by India. This incident is widely seen as a direct consequence of the deteriorating bilateral relations between the two countries, primarily due to the ongoing Khalistani issue.
In the recently published National Cyber Threat Assessment (2025-26), Canada has ranked India fifth among the top cyber threats, placing it behind China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. This is the first time India has been included in Canada’s cyber threat assessment.
The report states, “Our assessment suggests that India, with the support of its government, is planning to spy on our country. Therefore, India is likely aiding in cyber threats against the Canadian government.”
The deterioration of bilateral relations between the two countries began a year ago. At that time, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau claimed that they had sufficient evidence that the Indian intelligence agency was behind the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, the Ministry of External Affairs dismissed Canada’s claim as baseless.
A detailed report containing multiple pieces of information about cyber attacks on individuals and various organizations was published on October 30. The report, published by Canada’s Cyber Security Centre, mentions the Indian intelligence agency. This ‘Cyber Security Centre’ is part of Canada’s ‘Communications Security Establishment’.
