The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India has sharply criticized the Canadian government for blocking the social media handles of the Australian news outlet Australia Today, shortly after it aired a press conference featuring India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong. This incident has been described by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal as indicative of Canada's "hypocrisy towards freedom of speech".

During the press conference, Jaishankar addressed several contentious issues, including allegations made by Canada against India without providing specific evidence, the surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, and the political space afforded to anti-India elements within Canada. Jaiswal noted that the blocking of Australia Today occurred just hours after it broadcast these remarks, which he found "strange" and surprising . He emphasized that such actions highlight a contradiction in Canada's stated commitment to free speech.

This diplomatic spat is part of a broader context of escalating tensions between India and Canada, which have been strained since allegations emerged last year regarding India's involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar—a claim that India has vehemently denied . The recent blocking incident follows heightened scrutiny over acts of violence against places of worship in Canada, further complicating diplomatic relations.