Canadian spy agency alleges India is using cyber tech to track Sikh separatists

A Canadian spy agency has alleged New Delhi is using cyber technology to track Sikh separatists abroad following the accusation of the involvement of an Indian government official in the killing of India-designated Khalistani Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver last year.

Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE) in a report said India was using cyber capabilities “to track and surveil activists and dissidents living abroad."

It further alleged that India is increasing cyber-attacks against Canadian government networks.

Canada is home to many Sikh separatist leaders and is the largest Indian community outside of India.

Earlier, Ottawa accused India of being behind the murder of a 45-year-old Canadian citizen and Sikh separatist Nijjar. He was a prominent campaigner for “Khalistan," — A Sikh separatist movement an independent homeland in India’s Punjab state.

“It is clear that we are seeing India as an emerging [cyber] threat actor,” the CSE chief, Caroline Xavier, told a news conference.

Her agency, in a report, blamed the espionage by India on the ongoing rift in bilateral relations between the two nations.

The report indicated that after Canada accused India of involvement in Nijjar's killing, "a pro-India hacktivist group" launched severe DDoS attacks—overloading systems with traffic to disrupt access for legitimate users—targeting Canadian websites, including the military's public site.

On Tuesday, officials revealed that Ottawa had traced a campaign targeting Canadian Khalistan activists to the highest levels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

On Oct 29 the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, David Morrison, testified at a House of commons public safety and national security committee that information linking India Union Home Minister Amit Shah to targeting Canadian Sikhs was leaked to the Washington Post.

The report cited an unnamed senior Canadian official who confirmed that Shah authorized an intelligence gathering and attacks campaign, including the 2023 killing of Nijjar.

Morrison confessed in front of the committee that he was that "unknown source for the information", adding that “The journalist called me and asked me if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person.”

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has time and again alleged that there are “clear indications” of India’s involvement in Nijjar's murder, including a widespread campaign of intimidation, violence and other threats against Khalistan activists.

India has continued to dismiss all the allegations. Earlier this month, Delhi and Ottawa expelled the other’s ambassador and senior diplomats because of the ongoing rift over this issue.

Canada has arrested four Indian nationals arrested in connection with Nijjar's assassination.