As tensions between India and Canada continue to escalate, India's Ministry of External Affairs has dismissed claims made by Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper, which reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of a plot to kill Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The report cited unnamed Canadian officials who alleged that Modi, along with the national security advisor and the foreign minister, was informed about the plan.

In response, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the allegations as a "smear campaign," urging that such unfounded claims should be disregarded. He emphasized that such reports only harm the already fragile diplomatic relations between the two nations.

The diplomatic crisis began last year when Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and leader of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force, was killed in Vancouver. This prompted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to accuse India of being involved in the assassination, citing "credible information" shared with intelligence partners, including the U.S. Trudeau's statements led to further tensions, with Canada expelling Indian diplomats and India responding in kind by expelling Canadian diplomats.

Nijjar, a key figure in the Khalistani movement, was on India's list of most-wanted terrorists, with a bounty of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to his capture. He was also implicated in several crimes, including the murder of a Hindu priest in Punjab.