‘This is not our policy’: Government charges against Canadian spy agency

NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday rejected a Canadian intelligence agency report claiming that India was subject to foreign interference, saying India was a democracy that abides by international norms and respects the sovereignty of other countries. In response to media queries, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India’s position on this issue is clear and consistent and categorically rejects such baseless accusations. “Our policy is not to interfere in other countries’ issues. We believe that any concerns of this nature should be addressed through established mechanisms and not through public or politicized narratives,” spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said. However, the report acknowledged that Khalistan extremism poses a threat to Canada and that India has repeatedly warned Ottawa. The official said India has been concerned about Canadian territory being used as a safe haven by extremist and separatist elements. “The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) assessment acknowledged the presence of supporters of the Khalistan separatist movement in Canada and noted that Khalistan extremist groups in Canada pose a national security threat not only to India but also to Canada,” Jaiswal said. “India has repeatedly urged the Canadian government to take effective action against anti-India extremists operating on its soil,” Jaiswal added.