India on Thursday responded firmly to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent admission that his government had no "hard proof" when it accused India of involvement in the killing of  Khalistani  extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) said that Trudeau's testimony before a public inquiry only confirms what New Delhi has been saying from the start—that Canada  has provided no evidence to support the serious allegations made against India.- Times of India

Trudeau, testifying before a foreign interference inquiry, acknowledged that his government initially accused India based on intelligence, rather than concrete evidence, in connection with Nijjar’s assassination last year. Trudeau said intelligence from Canada and its allie

s suggested Indian agents were involved, but admitted there was no hard proof at the time. He said, "We told India it is not hard evidence but just intelligence at that point."

"Behind the scenes (were trying) India to co-operate with us. Their ask was...give us the evidence you have on us. Our response was it is within your security agency. You should be looking into how much they know, you should be engaging. 'No, no but show us the evidence'. At that point, it was primarily intelligence, not hard evidentiary proof. So we said let's work together," Canadian PM said.

India swiftly rejected Trudeau’s statements, with MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal saying, "What we have heard today only confirms what we have been saying consistently all along—Canada has presented us no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations it has levelled against India and Indian diplomats." Jaiswal went on to say that the damage caused to India-Canada relations is entirely Trudeau’s responsibility.

"The responsibility for the damage that this cavalier behaviour has caused to India-Canada relations lies with Prime Minister Trudeau alone," he said in his statement.

Our response to media queries regarding PM of Canada's deposition at the Commission of Inquiry: https://t.co/JI4qE3YK39 pic.twitter.com/1W8mel5DJe

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 16, 2024

The diplomatic row between India and Canada erupted when Trudeau accused India of orchestrating Nijjar’s killing in British Columbia in June last year. India labelled the claims as “absurd” and part of a broader political move by Trudeau.

Tensions escalated when Canada identified India's High Commissioner and other diplomats as "persons of interest" in the Nijjar investigation. In response, India expelled six Canadian diplomats after summoning Charge d'Affaires Stewart Wheeler. The Indian government condemned Canada's "baseless targeting" as unacceptable and expressed concerns about the safety of its diplomats amid rising extremism. India also announced the withdrawal of High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, asserting its right to take further action against what it perceives as Canadian support for extremism.

Canada’s initial accusation, made without clear evidence, had strained an already delicate relationship, especially over the issue of Canada allowing pro-Khalistani activities on its soil. India has consistently criticised Canada for providing space for such elements, accusing them of operating with impunity.