# Canadian Police Say No Evidence Links Indian Government to Nijjar Killing

The statement contradicts former Prime Minister Trudeau's earlier allegations that badly strained relations between Ottawa and New Delhi.

- Published: 2026-07-08T14:24:56.554Z
- Canonical: https://polylog.news/2026-07-08/canadian-police-say-no-evidence-links-indian-government-to-n
- Publisher: Polylog (Global desk)
- Section: world
- Sources: [The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/no-evidence-linking-indian-govt-to-nijjars-killing-says-canada-police/article71198357.ece)

A senior official with Canada's national police said investigators have found [no evidence linking the Indian government](https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/no-evidence-linking-indian-govt-to-nijjars-killing-says-canada-police/article71198357.ece) to the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist figure shot dead in British Columbia. The remarks directly contradict the public allegations made at the time by then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose claims of Indian state involvement severely damaged relations between the two countries.

New Delhi consistently rejected Trudeau's accusations as unsupported, and the diplomatic breakdown that followed led both governments to expel senior diplomats. The police statement now removes a central part of the original allegation, at least as a matter of proven evidence, though the underlying criminal case continues.

The reversal reopens the question of how the dispute escalated so far on a claim that investigators say they cannot substantiate. For India, the statement is a vindication of its long-standing position.

## What this means

The channel here is diplomatic and commercial normalization. The Nijjar allegation halted trade and investment talks between Canada and India and complicated the wider Western effort to build closer ties with New Delhi as a counterweight to China. A police finding of no evidence removes an obstacle to repairing that relationship, which benefits exporters and investors on both sides and strengthens India's position as a partner the West needs. The episode also shows how an unproven public accusation can carry a large economic cost long before any evidence is tested.

## What to watch

- Whether Ottawa and New Delhi move to restore full diplomatic staffing and resume stalled trade negotiations, the practical test of reconciliation.
- Any Indian official response that uses the finding to press for closer economic ties with Western partners.