India says it has 26 extradition requests pending with Canada

India’s foreign ministry announced on Thursday that at least 26 extradition requests have been pending with Canada over the past decade, as tensions between the two countries escalate.

“These are over the last decade or more,” ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a weekly press briefing.

Relations between India and Canada hit a new low this week after Ottawa linked New Delhi to the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada.

In response, both nations expelled diplomats on Monday. Canada announced the removal of six Indian diplomats and consular officials, citing their involvement in “a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the government of India.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau explained that the decision was intended to “disrupt the chain of operations” connecting Indian diplomats to criminal organizations involved in violent activities against Canadians.

Reports from Global News indicate that agents operating from India’s high commission in Ottawa and consulates in Vancouver and Toronto were responsible for numerous violent crimes across Canada, including shootings, killings, threats, arson, and extortion. These incidents allegedly targeted opponents of the Indian government, with many of the victims being supporters of the Khalistan movement, which advocates for an independent Sikh state in Punjab.

Senior sources revealed that although the agents officially held diplomatic roles, they actively participated in these operations. Some victims were linked to the Khalistan movement, while others were simply government rivals.

These developments unfold as Canadian authorities continue investigating the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C., with suspicions that the perpetrators were connected to Indian government agents.