Canada has officially denied media reports linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The denial follows a report by The Globe and Mail, which cited an unnamed Canadian security official claiming that Canadian agencies believed Modi was aware of the plot to kill Nijjar, who was shot dead in British Columbia in June 2022.

In a statement from Nathalie G. Drouin, Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister, Canada emphasized that it has not made any statements or possesses evidence connecting these Indian leaders to the alleged criminal activities. Drouin described the claims as "speculative and inaccurate," reiterating that any suggestion to the contrary is unfounded.

The Indian government responded vehemently, labelling the media report a "smear campaign" and calling for its dismissal with "the contempt it deserves." Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that such ludicrous claims only serve to further damage the already strained relations between India and Canada.

Tensions between the two nations have escalated since Trudeau's allegations of Indian involvement in Nijjar's murder, leading to diplomatic fallout, including the recall of diplomats by both countries.