The assassination of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which had roiled India-Canada relations, returned to cast its shadow ahead of a meeting between the two countries’ Prime Ministers here on Monday, courtesy reports in two Canadian newspapers one of which quoted the country’s spy agency.

The National Post reported that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had confirmed that India remained one of the main perpetrators of foreign interference and espionage against Canada.

A report in The Globe and Mail alleged that “Indian consular staff operating in Vancouver supplied information to assist in the assassination of Sikh (Khalistani) activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar”.

Asked about the two media reports published just ahead of the summit-level meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Mark Carney, the secretary (east) in the external affairs ministry, P. Kumaran, denied the allegations.

“India categorically rejects allegations of involvement in transnational repression or organised crime. These claims are baseless, politically motivated and unsupported by credible evidence despite repeated requests,” he said.

“India believes that concerns of this nature must be addressed through credible law enforcement and judicial process; not through public or politicised narratives.”

While there was no reference to “transnational repression” in the India-Canada Joint Leaders’ Statement, the expression figured in the readout issued by Carney’s office on his meeting with Modi.

“The leaders affirmed the importance of their countries’ shared commitment to democratic values, self-reliance, and respect for sovereignty and the rule of law — including in combating transnational repression and organised crime,” it said.

“They agreed that there has been significant progress in the security and law enforcement dialogue between their countries and that this work will continue.”

The National Post reported that the CSIS “has repeatedly cited the Indian government as one of the main perpetrators of foreign interference and transnational repression in Canada in recent years”. It added that in an email to the newspaper on Saturday, “CSIS spokesperson Eric Balsam confirmed that remains the case”.

The broadsheet quoted Balsam as saying: “CSIS’s threat assessment of the main perpetrators of foreign interference and espionage against Canada has not changed.”

Earlier, during a background briefing for reporters on Carney’s 10-day visit to India, Australia and Japan, a senior Canadian government official had said that India was no longer interfering in Canadian affairs.

That statement had contradicted a February 3 statement by CSIS director Dan Rogers that cited China, Russia and India as among the most active perpetrators of foreign interference targeting Canada.

On Nijjar’s assassination, Kumaran said: “We understand that the criminal investigation is proceeding as per established legal procedures…. The Canadians have an established legal procedure and it will proceed as per that procedure.”

Kumaran added: “India has consistently maintained its commitment to the judicial process. We believe that sensitive matters under judicial consideration are best allowed to proceed through established legal processes without public commentary.”

Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau’s allegation in the Canadian House of Commons in September 2023 about an Indian government hand in Nijjar’s murder in British Columbia that June had put the bilateral relationship on thin ice. It led the two countries to withdraw or expel high commissioners from each other’s capitals a year later.

The relationship has been on the mend since Carney assumed office. High commissioners have returned to New Delhi and Ottawa, and the diplomatic staff strength has been restored in stages.

“The numbers are currently at levels better than what we had in 2023 and we continue to take steps to take this to the next level in keeping with the expanded agenda and ambition,” Kumaran said. “We are taking this on astep-by-step basis.”