Was India involved in 2021 Canadian election? Poll officials reveal truth

Canadian bureaucrats who monitored the 2021 election informed a panel that there was no Indian interference in the national elections.

During Canada’s Public Hearing on Foreign Interference in Elections on April 9, officials informed the commission that they did not find any evidence suggesting foreign interference activity originating from India.

"Panel of bureaucrats that monitored 2021 election tells foreign interference inquiry they were not informed of any potential FI activity from India during the 2021 campaign," Globe and Mail outlet's Steven Chase said on X.

It comes after the Canadian Security Intelligence Service alleged that India and Pakistan attempted to interfere in the Canadian elections that took place in 2019 and 2021, which saw Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party winning both elections.

Under pressure from opposition legislators unhappy about media reports on China's possible role, Trudeau had set up a commission into foreign interference.

The commission was shown a slide on Monday containing an extract of a February 2023 briefing from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

"We know that the PRC (Peoples' Republic of China) clandestinely and deceptively interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 elections," it said.

"In both cases, these FI (foreign interference) activities were pragmatic in nature and focused primarily on supporting those viewed to be either 'pro-PRC' or 'neutral' on issues of interest to the PRC government."

"We know that the PRC clandestinely and deceptively interfered both in the 2019 and 2021 general elections," the report said. PRC refers to the People’s Republic of China.

India had earlier refuted the claims and assured its commitment to non-interference in other nations' democratic processes.

"We have seen media reports about the Canadian commission enquiring into ...We strongly reject all such baseless allegations of Indian interference in Canadian elections," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in February.

"It is not the government of India's policy to interfere in the democratic processes of other countries. In fact, quite on the reverse, it is Canada which has been interfering in our internal affairs," he added.