Wed Jan 29 03:31:44 UTC 2025: ## India Rejects Canadian Report Accusing it of Electoral Interference
**NEW DELHI/OTTAWA** – India has vehemently rejected allegations of interfering in Canadian elections, calling a recent Canadian commission report’s insinuations “baseless” and accusing Canada of hypocrisy and consistent interference in India’s internal affairs.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, issued a statement on January 28, 2025, refuting claims made in a report by a Canadian commission of inquiry headed by Justice Marie-Jose Hogue. The report, investigating alleged foreign interference in Canadian elections, named India as the second most active country engaging in such activities. The report cited clandestine financial support to Canadian political parties, the expulsion of six Indian diplomats accused of being “agents,” and the spread of disinformation regarding the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, the report itself acknowledged a lack of concrete evidence linking Nijjar’s death to a foreign state.
The MEA statement countered that Canada itself has a history of interfering in India’s internal affairs, fostering illegal immigration and organized crime. India further criticized the report’s contradictory nature, highlighting its failure to substantiate claims while simultaneously leveling serious accusations. The statement demanded that Canada cease supporting systems enabling illegal migration.
The escalating diplomatic row follows a series of tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats between the two countries in October 2024, further straining already tense relations. The Globe and Mail previously reported allegations of India using proxy agents to fund Canadian political candidates. The MEA described these allegations and the broader report as smear campaigns designed to damage bilateral ties. India’s strong rejection of the report signals a significant deterioration in relations between the two nations.
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