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In an exclusive interview, Sanjay Verma said the latest statement by the Canadian police vindicates India’s stand.
Commenting on former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations, Verma said he could not speak about Trudeau’s intentions but believed the accusations were politically motivated.
Former Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Verma, who was serving in Ottawa when the diplomatic row over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar erupted, has said recent developments have reinforced India’s long-standing position that it does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.
In an exclusive interview, Verma said the latest statement by the Canadian police, along with its earlier position, makes it clear that India’s policy has always been one of non-interference.
“The Government of India maintained from day one that its foreign policy does not permit interference in the domestic affairs of another country. The statements made by the Canadian police now reaffirm what India had consistently maintained,” he said.
Referring to the diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Ottawa, Verma said ties have begun to improve following engagement between the top leadership of the two countries.
Commenting on former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations, Verma said he could not speak about Trudeau’s intentions but believed the accusations were politically motivated. “I cannot comment on what Justin Trudeau intended, but I can certainly say that the allegations appeared to be driven by political considerations. Perhaps he believed they would serve his political interests, and in the process, India may have been underestimated,” he said.
Verma reiterated that India had consistently termed the allegations “baseless, politically motivated and absurd” while urging Canada to share any credible evidence. “We repeatedly told Canada that if it had evidence, it should share it with us. India was ready to cooperate fully,” he said.
Highlighting existing intelligence cooperation, Verma noted that India, Canada and the United States have established institutional mechanisms for intelligence sharing, through which any evidence could have been exchanged. He stressed that allegations alone cannot form the basis for action.
“No action should be taken merely on the basis of allegations without credible evidence. Such an approach harms not only the investigation but also bilateral relations,” he said.
Verma said India has always cooperated in accordance with international law and remains committed to combating crime and transnational crime.
“It is India’s policy to assist in the fight against crime and cross-border criminal activities. India believes crime must be eradicated globally and will continue to play its role in that effort,” he said.
Emphasising that the issue was never about political point-scoring, Verma said, “For India, this was never about victory or defeat. Our position was based on principle, and that position was true then and remains true today.”
The killing of Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023 triggered one of the sharpest diplomatic crises between India and Canada. Then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged there were “credible allegations” linking Indian agents to the assassination, a charge India categorically rejected as “baseless” and repeatedly asked Ottawa to substantiate with evidence. The dispute led to reciprocal diplomatic expulsions and strained bilateral ties for months.
The latest twist came on Tuesday when US federal prosecutors charged jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close aide Goldy Brar with allegedly orchestrating Nijjar’s murder as part of a wider crackdown on transnational organised crime. Notably, the US indictment does not allege any involvement by the Indian government in the killing, instead focusing on the alleged role of the Bishnoi criminal network.
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