Kanishka bombing, Nijjar killing: Canada-India row from Pierre to Justin Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement during Diwali celebrations at Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, “There are many supporters of Khalistan in Canada, but they do not represent the Sikh Community as a whole. There are supporters of the Modi government in Canada, but they do not represent all Hindu Canadians as a whole,” have highlighted an enduring challenge: the issue of Khalistan supporters within Canada.
PM Trudeau’s remark that Khalistan sympathisers do not represent the Sikh community as a whole mirrors a diplomatic and social dilemma that has roots stretching back to his father, Pierre Trudeau’s era.
Canada’s image as a refuge for Khalistani separatists has strained relations with India for decades. The murder of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023, reignited tensions, sparking a fresh diplomatic row between the two nations.
Tensions between Canada and India escalated after PM Trudeau’s National Security and Intelligence Adviser, Nathalie Drouin, and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, David Morrison, admitted to leaking information to The Washington Post. The report revealed that India’s Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, was leading a campaign targeting Khalistan separatists residing in Canada.
At over 7.7 lakh, Sikhs form about 2 per cent of Canada’s total population and are a politically influential community.
Below, we explore how this issue has evolved from Pierre Trudeau’s tenure to the current day under his son, Justin Trudeau.
The issue of Khalistan groups setting camp in Canada traces back to the early 1980s. In January 1982, Surjan Singh Gill set up a ‘Khalistan government in exile’ office in Vancouver, distributing blue passports and vivid currency. However, support was limited, and the Sikh community was divided. Gill’s attempt to rally local Sikhs even resulted in activists being attacked during a Vaisakhi procession in April.
That same year, the Indian government under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi urged Pierre Trudeau to act against rising militancy.
According to journalist Terry Milewski in his book Blood for Blood: Fifty Years of the Global Khalistan Project (2021), Pierre Trudeau’s administration faced Indian criticism for its weak response. “The meek Canadian response to the Khalistani challenge was a frequent target of Indian politicians as far back as 1982, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi complained about it to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau,” Milewski wrote.
Pierre Trudeau’s reluctance to act against Khalistani separatist voices reached a devastating climax in 1985. Talwinder Singh Parmar, a key figure in the Babbar Khalsa group, orchestrated the bombing of Air India Flight 182, also known as the Kanishka bombing.
Despite warnings from Indian intelligence agencies, Canadian authorities failed to prevent the attack, which killed all 329 passengers aboard, most of whom were Canadian citizens. A bomb in two suitcases was set off on Air India Flight 182 (Kanishka), flying from Toronto to UK’s London.
Talwinder Singh Parmar, who had fled to Canada after killing two police officers in Punjab in 1981, was never held accountable in Canada and was killed by police in Punjab in 1992. India had requested that Parmar be extradited but the Canadian government headed by Pierre Trudeau turned down the request.
The Canadian judicial response was similarly criticised; only Inderjit Singh Reyat was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Notably in June 2024, posters honouring Parmar were seen at various locations in Canada.
The late 1960s and early 1970s saw Pierre Trudeau crack down on Quebec’s French separatist movement.
Civil liberties were suspended, troops were deployed, and over 500 individuals were detained during raids.
In 2018, tensions rose during Trudeau’s visit to India, when Jaspal Singh Atwal, a former member of a Sikh separatist group, was invited to a dinner hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in New Delhi. 
Atwal had been convicted in Canada for an assassination attempt in India in 1986. After photos surfaced of Atwal with Trudeau’s wife, Sophie, the PM rescinded the invitation, later calling it a mistake. Atwal apologised, stating he no longer advocated for an independent Sikh state.
In late 2020, Trudeau expressed concern over India’s farmers’ protests, defending the right to peaceful protest at a Sikh event. India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned his comments, calling them ill-informed and unwarranted.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist, was shot dead outside a temple in Surrey, Canada, on June 18, 2023. Nijjar had been designated a “terrorist” by India. Tensions increased after a parade in Canada depicted the 1984 assassination of Indira Gandhi, which India criticised as a glorification of Sikh militancy. The incident revived concerns over Canada’s stance on Khalistani activism.
On September 1, Canada paused trade talks with India, and at the G20 summit, Trudeau was snubbed by Prime Minister Modi. Diplomatic tensions escalated, with both countries expelling diplomats over growing concerns about interference in internal matters and the Nijjar case.
On October 19, Canada recalled 41 diplomats from India after India threatened to revoke their immunity. Canada criticised this as a violation of international law.
On May 3, 2024, three men were arrested in connection with Nijjar’s murder. The investigation is ongoing, with more arrests expected.
In response to evidence linking Indian government agents to Nijjar’s murder, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats. India rejected the accusations and retaliated by expelling Canadian diplomats, claiming the investigation was politically motivated.
In the early days of his tenure, Justin Trudeau apologised on behalf of Canada for the 1914 Komagata Maru incident. The ship, carrying 376 passengers from British India, was denied entry to Canada, and after being forced to leave, a riot broke out in Calcutta, leading to 22 deaths.
On May 18, 2016, Trudeau issued a formal apology, acknowledging the discrimination faced by the passengers, who were mostly Sikhs. Only 24 of the 376 passengers were allowed entry, making it a significant and painful moment in Canada’s immigration history.
Part of Justin Trudeau’s cautious stance can be attributed to political realities. His government is bolstered by support from the New Democratic Party (NDP), led by Jagmeet Singh, who has been linked with Khalistani sympathies.
This alliance adds a layer of complexity to Trudeau’s policy-making, compelling him to walk a fine line between appeasing domestic constituencies and addressing international concerns.