Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged the presence of Khalistani supporters within Canada but clarified that these individuals do not represent the broader Sikh community in the country. His statement appears to validate India's longstanding claim that Canada is sheltering pro-Khalistani factions.

Trudeau also commented on Hindu supporters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Canada, noting that they, too, are not representative of the entire Hindu community in the nation.

“There are supporters of Khalistan in Canada, but they do not embody the Sikh community as a whole,” Trudeau stated at a Diwali celebration for the Indian community on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. “Similarly, supporters of the Modi government do not represent all Hindu Canadians.”

This statement comes amid heightened tensions between Canada and India following the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Diplomatic relations deteriorated sharply in September 2023 when Trudeau claimed Indian agents were involved in Nijjar's killing, an accusation that India has strongly refuted.

Nijjar, whom the Indian government had labeled a wanted terrorist, was shot outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. Following this, Canada recently named the Indian High Commissioner as a "person of interest" in its ongoing investigation into Nijjar’s death, a move that escalated diplomatic hostilities. India responded by calling back its High Commissioner from Ottawa and expelling six Canadian diplomats.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly emphasized that Canada has not provided any concrete evidence linking India to Nijjar's killing, despite numerous requests. It has also accused Trudeau of engaging in vote-bank politics and failing to adequately address separatist activities on Canadian soil.