Meet The Man Who Is Trying To Tame Canada’s Khalistan Hydra As India Goes Hard Against Extremism

Mark Carney walks a tightrope between terror links and trade talks.

Toronto/New Delhi: Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney has stepped into office with one of the thorniest diplomatic landmines waiting for him – Khalistani extremism festering on Canadian soil. But for the first time in years, Ottawa’s tone has changed. A powerful Canadian intelligence report has confirmed what New Delhi has been screaming into the void for decades – Khalistani militant in Canada are actively scheming violence against India.

And now, with Carney extending an olive branch to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G7 Summit, even as Khalistani flags flapped in protest outside the venue, Canada seems to be veering off the Trudeau-era road that let extremists thrive in the name of free expression.

But here is the twist. Carney’s biggest threat may not be foreign. It is already inside his house.

For the first time, Canada’s Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has openly admitted that violent Khalistani elements are operating from Canadian territory. The 2024 report does not mince words. It confirms that Canada-based Khalistani extremists are planning, fundraising and promoting violence aimed primarily at destabilising India.

The CSIS identifies them as “Canada-based Khalistani extremists” (CBKEs) and acknowledges their long history of attempting to carve out an independent Khalistan – violently, if necessary. While the report stresses that peaceful advocacy for Khalistan is not a crime, it singles out a dangerous subset involved in covert terrorist activity.

Until now, similar inputs were buried, redacted or simply ignored under Trudeau’s government. This is the first time a Canadian government document has openly admitted that India’s concerns are not paranoia. They are real.

Carney's Dilemma

Will Carney act on this information? Khalistani sympathisers are no longer fringe elements waving outdated slogans. They have grown into an organised, well-funded and politically connected ecosystem. The World Sikh Organisation (WSO), widely viewed by Indian agencies as a Khalistani front, continues to enjoy access to Canadian lawmakers and policy rooms. Their vote bank matters, and Carney knows it.

Cracking down on these groups would risk alienating a key segment of his domestic political base. But turning a blind eye might mean letting a fire spread that is already singed Canada’s global image.

India has been trying, pleading and demanding that Canada extradite Khalistani terrorists hiding in plain sight. Out of 26 extradition requests, Canada has only moved forward on five – a dismal record over decades.

Former High Commissioner Sanjay Verma called it out bluntly before being pulled back for his own safety, “This is inaction, not consultation.”

These are not minor cases. They involve individuals charged with murders, bombings, extortion rackets and even plots against Indian diplomats. One such person is Arshdeep Singh Dalla, leader of the Khalistan Tiger Force, facing over 50 cases in India. Despite a Red Corner Notice and a formal arrest request, he was granted bail in Canada last year.

India, in nut shell, has been left talking to a wall.

Modi-Carney Meeting

At the G7 sidelines, Modi and Carney agreed to bring back high commissioners and restart trade talks. But behind the handshakes lies a question mark – Will Carney finally take steps Trudeau would not?

India’s message is clear – there can be no “reset” without recognition of its core concerns, and Khalistani terror tops that list. Carney may not order mass arrests tomorrow, but he does not need to. All he has to do is stop looking away.

Canada’s stance on Khalistan is no longer just a domestic matter. It has become an international fault line where trade ambitions, national security and electoral politics collide.

For Carney, this is not only about fixing a foreign policy mess. It is about deciding whether Canada wants to be a passive host for separatist terror or a credible global partner.

The intelligence is out. The world is watching. And India is done waiting.