Spoke about terrorism for 40 years, nothing on Air India bombing probe: Indian envoy in Canada

The Indian envoy dismissed Canada's old allegations on killing of Sikh separatist leader Nijjar who was designated as a terrorist in 2020.

Ottawa: Indian High Commissioner Dinesh K Patnaik has dismissed Canada's old allegations linking New Delhi to the killing of a Sikh separatist leader, asserting that the case is against four individuals and not against the government of India.

In an interview with CBC News on Tuesday, Patnaik also pointed out how the investigation into the Air India bombing has still not yielded anything and not a single person has been convicted of it, despite New Delhi talking about terrorism in Canada for the last 40 years.

The remarks by Patnaik, who took charge in September 2025, coincided with British Columbia Premier David Eby's visit to India on a trade mission amid the improving relationship between New Delhi and Ottawa.

The ties between India and Canada strained after the then-prime minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September 2023 of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing outside a gurudwara in Surrey city on June 18 that year.

India, which had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020, had strongly rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated.” The two countries have taken several steps in recent months to normalise their relations. They have also agreed to revive several mechanisms to advance relations in a range of areas.

Patnaik was asked how the two countries move past the 'gap' of more than a year after Trudeau's accusation.

“Well, where is the evidence? Every time you keep on saying credible information, which is fine,” Patnaik said.

“We have always said, it's preposterous and absurd. It's something we don't do. These allegations … have not been backed by evidence. There's always … (it is) easy to make accusations,” the Indian diplomat said.

Patnaik also pointed out how the investigation into the Air India bombing (of June 1985) has still not yielded anything. “Nothing has happened on the ground. We've been talking about terrorism in Canada for the last 40 years. What has anybody done about it? Not a single person has been convicted of it,” he said.

The case in connection with Nijjar's death is against four individuals, he said, “You have a case going on in Surrey, which says very clearly against four individuals. There is no case against the government of India. The government of India does not do such actions ... never.”

India will take action if Canada provides evidence, he said, adding, “What we need is for you to give us evidence, for us to take action.” Patnaik repeated that Canada has only been providing information, but no evidence. He cited several examples of cases where prior information provided by India was not acted upon but later turned out to be true.

“When you accuse us, what happens here is ... my accusations need evidence, your accusations don't need evidence?" he said, and then went on to add: “When I accuse you, and you tell me, 'evidence is not enough', I agree with it. And I say, 'Yes, you are telling me evidence is not enough, when I find evidence, I'll give it to you'.”

“When you accuse me, and I tell you, ‘evidence is not enough’, please accept it with the same alacrity with which you have,” he added.

When the interviewer pressed on by saying, “It's about the activities of the state of India. It's about allegations about the Government of India,” Patnaik said the government of India never does something like that.

“If there are people in the government of India (who) have done it, and you give us evidence, we will take action against them. We have never said otherwise,” he added.