China, India threat to country's democracy, says Canada
What's the story
Canada has officially ranked India as the second largest foreign threat to its democracy, following China, according to a report by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP).
The report states that India has "emerged as the second-most significant foreign interference threat to Canada's democratic institutions and processes," surpassing Russia.
This report is anticipated to exacerbate already strained relations between India and Canada.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Despite the substantial trade between Canada and India, relationships between the two have been fraught for years due to efforts by certain Canadians advocating the creation of Khalistan within India.
Those tensions escalated last year when PM Justin Trudeau publicly accused Indian government of being involved in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The charge was dismissed as "absurd" and "motivated" by India.
The diplomatic fallout later resulted in the expulsions of senior diplomats from both countries.
Interference allegations
Canada accuses India of interfering in democratic processes
The NSICOP report suggests that "foreign interference efforts have slowly increased" and that these efforts have "extended beyond countering what is perceived as pro-Khalistani efforts in Canada."
It accuses India of "interfering in Canadian democratic processes and institutions, including through the targeting of Canadian politicians, ethnic media, and Indo-Canadian ethnocultural communities."
It also noted that while India's foreign interference efforts are not as widespread as those of China, they are "of significant concern."
Proxies
Use of proxies by India
The heavily redacted document also repeatedly cites intelligence reports alleging "foreign actors" used "Canadians as proxies who act at their behest."
While most of the report was redacted, the notes explaining those redactions provide specifics about India's alleged use of proxies.
One such note claims that the CSIS has information that an Indian proxy "repeatedly transferred funds from India to politicians at all levels of government in return for political favors, including raising issues in Parliament."
China
China using WeChat to spread misinformation, report mentions
In China's case, the report details how the East Asian country utilized WeChat, a Chinese social media app, to propagate "misleading narratives" about Conservative MP Michael Chong.
"In its efforts to protect and enhance the legitimacy and stability of the Chinese Communist Party domestically and abroad, the PRC employs a comprehensive approach to targeting and leveraging virtually all aspects of Canada's democratic processes and institutions to advance its strategic interests," the report stated.
Strained relations
Rising tensions impact Canada-India relations
Canada is home to the largest Sikh population outside Punjab, India, and one of the largest Indian diasporas worldwide, with 1.4 million Indians among its 40 million population.
The escalating tensions between Canada and India have negatively impacted people-to-people connections, trade, and economic ties between the two nations.
This strained relationship is a result of ongoing disputes over issues such as Khalistani extremism and alleged interference in Canadian democratic processes by India.