The Daily Populous Sunday November 3rd, 2024 morning edition
Authored by opindia.com and submitted by Live_Ostrich_6668

Canada continues to make baseless allegations against India, and now an official document lists India as an adversary or enemy. A security report released on Wednesday by Canada’s cyber security agency said that there are threats of cyber attacks from India.

The National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026 prepared by Canadian Centre for Cyber Security lists India under the section “Cyber threat from state adversaries”. Other countries included in the list are China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

The report states that countries like India are building cyber programs that present varying levels of threat to Canada. The section on India in the report states, “India’s leadership almost certainly aspires to build a modernized cyber program with domestic cyber capabilities.India very likely uses its cyber program to advance its national security imperatives, including espionage, counterterrorism, and the country’s efforts to promote its global status and counter narratives against India and the Indian government. We assess that India’s cyber program likely leverages commercial cyber vendors to enhance its operations.”

It further states, “We assess that Indian state-sponsored cyber threat actors likely conduct cyber threat activity against Government of Canada networks for the purpose of espionage. We judge that official bilateral relations between Canada and India will very likely drive Indian state-sponsored cyber threat activity against Canada.”

The report alleges that after Canada accused India of involvement in the killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a pro-India hacktivist group claimed to have defaced and conducted brief DDoS attacks against websites in Canada, including the public-facing website of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Caroline Xavier, Chief of the Canadian Communications Security Establishment (CSE), reiterated the allegations against India at a press conference. She said, “It is possible that we may see India wants to flex those cyber threat actions against Canadians”. She further added, “It is clear that we are seeing India being an emerging cyber threat actor.”

Caroline Xavier said that after PM Trudeau’s allegations against India last year on Nijjar’s murder, there have been disinformation campaigns from those working for India.

These allegations have emerged amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two nations after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau implicated Indian agents in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. Although Trudeau asserted that the Canadian government has intelligence linking India to Nijjar’s murder, he acknowledged the lack of concrete evidence.

Recently, Canada has made many new allegations in the matter, including the claim that the order to attack Khalistani elements in Canada was issued by Home Minister Amit Shah.

India has categorically denied these claims, dismissing them as baseless and politically motivated, alleging that Canada’s stance may be influenced by domestic political pressures. This dispute led to mutual expulsions of diplomats and has further fuelled accusations of interference​.

whats_a_quasar on November 2nd, 2024 at 14:13 UTC »

I find so many of the takes on this situation really weird. This wasn't a political move by Trudeau. Based on what we've heard there is solid five eyes intelligence that the Indian government was behind the Nijar killing and tried to do the same in the US. You just can't do that and expect not to get called out on it, how is it acceptable? It is wild that some commentators want to imply Canada is the bad guy in this situation. JT isn't the one who freakin murdered a guy.

Nomustang on November 2nd, 2024 at 14:06 UTC »

I'm sure the comment section will be civil.

kishaloy on November 2nd, 2024 at 14:06 UTC »

My contrarian take is that both modi and trudeau is doing exactly what they need. I mean it plays to both the respective populace nicely.

In Canada, Trudeau manages to deflect attention from the real stuff. Now people are more concerned about the danger from other lands.

In India, Modi burnish his image as a strong man in the mould of Xi and Putin who will avenge India's enemies wherever they are, even in the first world if need be, playing up RAW as the next Mossad. No Indian would shed a tear for any Canadian citizen trying to harm India.

So both are doing each other quite good. India and Canada has barely any overlap in trade or geopolitics, so there is frankly no downside.