India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, has strongly rejected allegations of Indian state involvement in crimes on Canadian soil, describing several of the claims as “fantasy” while questioning the credibility of Canadian intelligence agencies over their handling of the Khalistan issue.In an interview to The Globe and Mail published Tuesday, Patnaik alleged that sections of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had been influenced by Khalistani separatist groups operating from Canada. His remarks come at a sensitive time, with India and Canada attempting to repair ties that deteriorated sharply following the 2023 killing of Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.Patnaik, who took charge as India’s envoy to Canada in September 2025, said there were widespread perceptions in India that Canada’s security establishment had been “compromised”.“There are a whole lot of allegations within India that the Canadian security establishment is compromised,” he said, while referring to the Nijjar investigation and broader allegations of Indian interference.The envoy claimed Khalistani groups had turned Canada into a base for separatist activities directed at Punjab and suggested intelligence narratives against India had been shaped by political considerations. He described allegations linking the Indian government to criminal acts in Canada as “fantasy issues”, while distinguishing them from what he termed “real issues” relating to extremism and security concerns.Patnaik also questioned the manner in which the Nijjar murder investigation had unfolded publicly, saying the matter had been “twisted around” and politicised. At the same time, he praised the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as an “independent, very good organisation”, though he added that it had in the past been “susceptible to political direction”.Canada’s Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree rejected the allegations, saying any suggestion that CSIS was compromised was “false” and undermined the work of Canadian security personnel. He added that the agency’s assessment regarding foreign interference and transnational repression had not changed.Story continues below this adIndia-Canada ties plunged into crisis after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly alleged in 2023 that Indian agents could have been linked to Nijjar’s killing outside a Surrey gurdwara. India denied the accusations as baseless, and the dispute escalated into reciprocal diplomatic expulsions in 2024, including the removal of India’s then High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and other diplomats.Four Indian nationals have since been charged in Canada with first-degree murder and conspiracy in the Nijjar case, with trial proceedings expected to begin in 2027.Patnaik said Canada had yet to present credible evidence publicly linking the Indian state to the killing. “Go to court and prove it,” he said, arguing against what he described as a “public trial” through media and political statements.The envoy, however, acknowledged the possibility that “a few mad elements” or rogue individuals may have acted independently. He referred to the case of former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav, who has been linked by investigators to the Nijjar case as well as an alleged plot targeting Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States.Story continues below this adPatnaik defended India’s deployment of diplomats with counterterrorism backgrounds to Canada, including Toronto Consul-General Mahaveer Singhvi, dismissing criticism from pro-Khalistan groups. “Why are they afraid of somebody who’s been in counterterrorism?” he asked.The remarks come even as India and Canada have been making efforts to stabilise ties and revive economic engagement. Trade discussions have resumed in recent months, with both sides aiming to conclude a free trade agreement by late 2026. Canadian intelligence reports, however, continue to identify India among countries accused of foreign interference activities, alongside China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan.