Kumar Bahukhandi
New Delhi:The Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government’s latest action suggests it has started treating India as an enemy country. India has been added to a list of enemy nations in terms of cyber security and has been labelled a ‘cyber adversary’. New Delhi today called it another Canadian strategy to attack and malign India internationally.
In a press conference today on Saturday , November 2 , 2024 , the Ministry of External Affairs also said that under Trudeau’s administration, senior Canadian officials have openly confessed that Canada is seeking to manipulate global opinions against India. The foreign ministry also said that like other instances, these allegations in their cyber security report are made without a shred of evidence.
“We see this as another Canadian strategy to attack and malign India. Their senior officials have openly confessed that Canada is seeking to manipulate global opinions against India. As on other occasions, allegations are made repeatedly without a shred of evidence,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said at a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday , November 2, 2024 .
WHAT CANADA ALLEGED
In its most recent report about cyber security, titled ‘National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026’, the Government of Canada has called India a “cyber adversary”.
In the report it claimed that, “India’s leadership almost certainly aspires to build a modernized cyber program with domestic cyber capabilities. India very likely uses its cyber program to advance its national security imperatives, including espionage, counter-terrorism, and the country’s efforts to promote its global status and counter narratives against India and the Indian government. We assess that India’s cyber program likely leverages commercial cyber vendors to enhance its operations.”
It further claimed that “We assess that Indian state-sponsored cyber threat actors likely conduct cyber threat activity against Government of Canada networks for the purpose of espionage. We judge that official bilateral relations between Canada and India will very likely drive Indian state-sponsored cyber threat activity against Canada.”
The report also claimed that “countries that aspire to become new centres of power within the global system, such as India, are building cyber programs that present varying levels of threat to Canada.”
Canada made these claims under ‘Section 1’ of its cyber security report titled ‘Cyber Threat From State Adversaries’ which it says “introduces the state cyber threat ecosystem and discusses the cyber threats to Canada.”
India has been added to the list of enemy countries which include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
CANADA HARASSES INDIAN DIPLOMATIC STAFF
The Justin Trudeau-led Canada government has started violating all established international diplomatic norms in its hateful and spiteful pursuit to malign India in order to cater to its domestic political motives and objectives . Diplomats and other Indian mission staff are being kept under round-the-clock surveillance and are even being intimidated routinely.
In a move that highlights its double-standards, Justin Trudeau’s administration, which harps on a “rules-based” order has itself not being following any established rules, diplomatic norms and practices.
India today called out Canada for indulging in such illegal activity to harass and intimidate Indian officials in diplomatic missions. New Delhi has called such surveillance activity a “flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions”.
The foreign ministry also said that by citing technicalities the Canadian government cannot justify that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation.
In its official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “Some of our officials have recently been informed by the Canadian government that they have been, and continue to be under audio and visual surveillance. Their communications have also been intercepted.”
It added that “New Delhi has formally protested to the Indian government as we deem these actions to be a flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions. By citing technicalities the Canadian government cannot justify that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation.”
The foreign ministry concluded by saying that “Our diplomatic and consular persons are already functioning in an environment of extremism and violence. This action of the Canadian government aggravates the situation and is incompatible with established diplomatic norms and practices.”
