Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has criticized “cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats” amid an escalating diplomatic row with Canada.
The two countries expelled their top envoys last month after Canadian officials accused India of involvement in violence targeting Indian dissidents on Canadian soil, which the country denies.
Modi's comments come after violence broke out at a Hindu temple in the Canadian city of Brampton on Sunday, which he called a “deliberate attack.”
“Such acts of violence never weaken India's resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law,” he wrote on X.
Local police said three people had so far been arrested and charged over the incident in Brampton, near Toronto, but did not provide further details.
The force said “several illegal acts continue to be actively investigated” by its officers.
An unverified video posted online appears to show people waving yellow flags of the Khalistan movement – which demands a separate Sikh homeland in India – clashing with others waving Indian flags.
India's foreign ministry said “extremists and separatists” were behind the violence, calling on the Canadian government to “ensure that all places of worship are protected against such attacks.”
The North America-based activist group Sikhs for Justice, meanwhile, described the incident as an “unprovoked violent attack on peaceful pro-Khalistan protesters.”
Justin Trudeau wrote on X that Sunday's violence was “unacceptable,” adding that “every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely.”
Relations between India and Canada have deteriorated since Ottawa accused the Indian government of being behind the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a naturalized Canadian citizen labeled a terrorist in India.
India vehemently denied this and other allegations and maintained that Canada had not provided any evidence to support its claims.
Mr. Nijjar was a strong supporter of the Khalistan movement and had publicly campaigned for it.
The divide between Canada and India has raised questions about the impact it could have on the deep trade and immigration ties between the two countries.
Bilateral trade is worth billions of dollars and Canada is home to nearly 1.7 million people of Indian origin.
Neither country has yet imposed tariffs or other forms of economic retaliation, but experts warn that could change and that a chill in relations between India and Canada could hamper economic growth.
