Indian officials should not be invited to the G7 under any circumstances

15 ਜੇਠ, ਨਾਨਕਸ਼ਾਹੀ ੫੫੭

(Brampton, ON: 15 Jeth, Nanakshahi 557 | May 28, 2025 CE) – Sikhs across Canada are expressing grave concern following Minister Anand's recent public statement thanking India’s Minister of External Affairs for “productive discussions” aimed at “strengthening Canada-India ties, deepening our economic cooperation, and advancing shared priorities.” This has been taken as a concerning signal that the Government intends to normalize relations with India; something which should alarm Canadians across all political stripes and backgrounds.

Various sources have also confirmed that the Government is considering inviting India to participate in the G7 Leaders’ Summit next month. As Canada holds the responsibility of hosting the G7 this year, the Sikh Federation (Canada) is calling on Canadian representatives to ensure that no official representing the Government of India is invited to attend until India substantially cooperates with criminal investigations in Canada, and makes other demonstrable reforms.

Sikh Federation (Canada) National Spokesperson, Bhai Moninder Singh, commented:

“While it is important for Canada to engage with diverse partners to strengthen Canada’s economy, Minister Anand’s comments suggest an alarming prioritization of economic interests above Canada’s sovereignty and basic values. Unfortunately, this attitude disregards the lived reality of Sikhs in Canada who have endured violence, coercion, intimidation, and systematic disinformation campaigns orchestrated directly by agents of the Indian government. Canada needs to engage with new partners in today's world, but this can never be those who have repeatedly attacked Canada and inflicted widespread violence on our communities.

Any normalization with India, without concrete steps towards accountability and justice, would be reprehensible given the overwhelming evidence of India’s sustained and aggressive interference in Canadian democratic institutions, violent campaigns targeting Sikhs in Canada, and direct involvement in the assassination of Shaheed Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.”

Over the past year, explicit statements from officials like Deputy Minister David Morrison haveconclusively established that senior Indian officials–including India’s Home Affairs Minister, Amit Shah–directly coordinated and oversaw the violent activities explicitly targeting the Sikh community. This was a shocking violation of the most basic norms of international law and those responsible must be held accountable.

The Hogue Commission and various Canadian agencies have unequivocally documented India’s extensive foreign interference operations, including attempts to manipulate Canadian electoral outcomes, extensive disinformation campaigns against Canadian officials, and violent activities targeting a vulnerable minority community.

Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Council have also expressed grave
concern about the “continuing, systematic attacks by Indian authorities on Sikh activists inCanada, the United States, and other countries, including private and public harassment andintimidation, threats of violence and death, and the planning of physical attacks.”

Failing to hold India to account will not only allow India to continue undermining Canadiansovereignty but will also send a dangerous message to communities across Canada–including the “800,000 members of the Sikh diaspora” that Justice Hogue found are thetargets of India’s activities. To this day, numerous members of the Sikh community continueto receive warnings from Canadian agencies regarding the ongoing threat to their lives as
they continue to be targeted by agents of the Government of India.

For this reason, Sikhs across Canada have been writing to their Members of Parliament to
urge them to stand up for justice and accountability by taking the following actions:
Call on the Government of Canada to clarify its commitment to demand accountability from India for its documented crimes on Canadian soil.Call on the Government of Canada to ensure that no Indian representatives are invited to G7 events under any circumstances without India substantially cooperating with criminal investigations in Canada, and making other demonstrable reforms, including respecting human rights, ceasing transnational repression, and ending disinformation campaigns against Canadian officials and communities.Take steps to implement targeted sanctions against Indian officials, including Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah and others credibly linked to orchestrating violence and interference in Canada.

Sikh Federation (Canada) has contacted over 40 MPs across party lines, including variousMinisters, Party Leaders and the Prime Minister's office, to emphasize these calls to action,
and is calling on all Sikh organizations and community leaders across the country to actively
pursue their respective MPs to follow through on these commitments.

For media inquiries:
please contact info@sikhfederation.ca.