News Desk: Canada’s top intelligence agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), has officially acknowledged the continued presence and activities of Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs), categorizing them as a persistent national security threat.
In its latest public report, CSIS stated that a “small group” of Khalistani extremists within Canada continues to pose risks under the framework of Politically Motivated Violent Extremism (PMVE). This form of extremism, according to the agency, involves efforts to “use violence to establish new political systems or entities” either domestically or globally.
“Since the mid-1980s, Canada-based Khalistani extremists have been seeking to support or use violent means to carve out a separate nation called Khalistan, primarily from the Indian state of Punjab,” the CSIS report outlined.
The report warns that the perception and reality of Khalistani extremism emerging from Canadian soil continues to trigger foreign interference operations by India. Notably, CSIS also claimed that India is engaging in “transnational repression”, a term used for tactics aimed at silencing dissenting voices abroad.
“Canada must remain vigilant about continued foreign interference conducted by the Government of India—not just within ethnic, religious, and cultural communities, but also within Canada’s political system,” CSIS stated.
The agency confirmed that it is actively monitoring threats and contributing to the federal government’s terrorist entity listings, signaling a wider crackdown on radical elements operating under the guise of political activism.
The report’s assertions are likely to further strain India-Canada diplomatic ties, already under tension due to allegations and counter-allegations surrounding the activities of pro-Khalistan groups in North America.
