India has responded to a report by Canadian parliamentarians claiming New Delhi's meddling as politically motivated and influenced by Sikh separatists, according to Reuters.
Last month, several members of parliament, citing intelligence sources, claimed that some elected Canadian officials were "witting or semi-witting" participants in foreign influence activities, further chilling already tense bilateral relations.
According to the report, India and China are the most serious external threats to Canada's democratic systems.
Sanjay Kumar Verma, India's envoy to Canada, stated that the report was prejudiced, did not provide India with an equal opportunity to speak, and refused to allow for cross-examination of witnesses.
"It has been influenced by anti-India groups... You must present infallible evidence. "I don't see any hint of that," he told Reuters.
"This is all politically motivated...if Canadian institutions are bent upon harming bilateral relations with India that will happen."
His words were India's first formal response to the report, which prompted opposition parliamentarians to demand that the government name people under suspicion.
New Delhi accused Canada of sheltering Khalistan militants.
Last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged serious claims of Indian government complicity in the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader assassinated in the Canadian province of British Columbia in June 2023.
"There is a lot of political space given to Khalistani terrorists in Canada and therefore I would expect them to have influenced the entire process through their representatives," Mr Verma explained.
When asked about Mr Verma's criticism, the special committee of parliamentarians stated that the "committee speaks to and through its reports" and that it had spoken with the country's two intelligence agencies, the police service, and the public safety ministry, as well as studied 4,000 documents.
The offices of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Minister Melanie Joly forwarded questions to the public safety ministry, which indicated it would enable the committee to comment on the findings.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada, an Ottawa-based Sikh advocacy group, condemned Mr Verma's remarks as "baseless and unprofessional" and stated that the committee operated completely independently.
Canada is pressuring India to participate in the investigation into Nijjar's murder.
Mr Verma stated that Canada had yet to share any proof with India, despite media allegations that Canadian intelligence agency officers visited India twice this year.
Last month, Canadian police detained and charged four Indian men in connection with Nijjar's murder.
The killing caused Canada to suspend negotiations on a prospective trade accord. Since 2010, the two countries have been in talks on forming a comprehensive economic alliance.
"If Canada decides to (ask) us to resume talks ... we will take a call," Mr. Verma added.
Even as diplomatic relations deteriorate, Mr Verma said that bilateral trade in products and services exceeded $25 billion last year and will increase this year.
