Any high school captain will tell you that there are expenses associated with being popular. These expenses have a tendency to greatly escalate on an international scale. This appears to be the case, since a recent poll ranked Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the most popular global leader amidst the rapid rise of India.
The majority of foreign periodicals have featured PM Modi on their covers; the most recent being Foreign Policy. A barrage of vitriol has followed, with some terms being pulled out of thin air to disparage not only him but also India.
Allegations have been made against India over the death of Hardeep Nijjar, a terrorist identified by Indian intelligence, whose killing at the hands of Indian agencies is said to have caused a rift in relations with Canada. Many people point to that case as an example of “transnational repression” (TNR), a word whose meaning is ambiguous in law and whose roots are unknown.
Canada has drafted legislation on “foreign interference,” embarrassing itself by observing a two-minute silence in Nijjar’s honor. Naturally, that covers more ground than TNR and includes national security and defense. Even though it has suddenly become a catchphrase across continents, there is currently no published definition in the US, Europe, or Britain.
Much of this was previously related to China’s and Russia’s actions; Freedom House recorded 854 instances of direct, physical TNR by 38 governments in 91 nations. China was the country with the most incidents, but among the top ten offenders are Egypt, Rwanda, and Turkey. There was no mention of India. Delhi appears to have taken no action between 2014 and 2022. It didn’t take long to manifest itself, and by 2023, it was posing a serious threat. This is an extremely challenging task for any intelligence organization looking to grow.
Human rights advocates used the Saudi murder of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 as a focal point for a while, but eventually realpolitik set in. Too much mattered to the Saudis to ignore, belittle, or censure. However, “experts” of all shades quickly surfaced, and Congress and other state agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, soon began looking into the matter.
The issue was elevated from one of human rights to one that is “not only a matter of national security, but is arguably more serious than some aspects of modern terrorism” in recent testimony by these experts. Furthermore, it issues a warning against “fake counterterrorism,” in which “repressive states” issue red corner notifications to (supposedly) innocent individuals who are afraid of being extradited.
Indeed, sensitive territory, particularly in light of the disparities in how governments are assessed for how well they handle their national security issues. For some, it appears that what the United States has deemed justified in its worldwide “War on Terror” since 9/11 is wholly unjustified. Perhaps because it was outright murder rather than repression at all, no one brought up the subject of international repression at the time. True, a lot of them deserved it, and their absence is better for the planet. However, a large number of people—including women and children—did not.
India entered the picture following Trudeau’s ludicrous accusations against Nijjar in Parliament, right after he received the cold shoulder at the G20 meeting in Delhi. Ottawa had done absolutely nothing to stop a string of ludicrous acts by so-called “Khalistanis,” including a float that featured a bloodstained effigy of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Delhi most recently filed a strong objection against K-extremists burning an effigy of the Indian prime minister at a “citizens court.” Things reached a breaking point even as the altercation went on. Allegations of foreign meddling in Canadian elections were sent to the bipartisan “National Security and Intelligence Committee” of Parliament last year.
The heavily classified study appears to accuse lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum of receiving funding from three additional countries, the names of which have also been deleted, in addition to China and India. It’s interesting since it’s obvious that these are close allies. Ottawa would scarcely think twice about naming others.
Political tensions have increased as a result of the study, with both sides accusing one another of having “relationships” with foreign intelligence officials and of having intentionally accepted financial compensation for swaying colleagues.
The report’s validity is called into question given the systemic and severe shortcomings of Canadian security personnel. 22 years after the Kanishka bombing, an investigation into the incident in May 2006 harshly criticized the agencies for a slew of “inexcusable” mistakes. Experts claim that in terms of empowering agencies and making them accountable, not much has changed since then.
Following closely on the heels of these is the most cunning report to date. Indian officials refuted Avani Dias’s allegations that she was asked to leave abruptly while working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
What came next was the worst kind of vengeance journalism: a story on the “infiltration” of India into Australia by the “Friends of BJP,” a fan organization that has registered itself in the US and is present in practically all major nations. The group organizes automobile rallies and other events.
It does publicly compete for political representation, just as all ethnic communities living overseas. It’s hard to understand if this is infiltration. The story then cuts to a Khalistani Sikhs for Justice member who had been alerted of his danger by Canada (who else?), at which point he had flown to Australia.
What is the report’s most repulsive section? It tracks the “global” Khalistani movement for “self determination” and criticizes Indira Gandhi for bombing its “temples,” but it omits all mention of her murder and the terrorist acts that followed over the years.
It is said that the Khalistanis are a peaceful people. It does bring up the 2020 report that said India had a spies’ nest watching over its diaspora. It should be recalled that Khalistani provided funding for the December of the same year bomb case in Ludhiana and the subsequent murders of Manohar Lal in Bathinda. Put another way, the Khalistan issue, which was mostly sparked by Pakistan, Canada, and even Germany, had become into a “live issue.”
It is quite clear that India has cause for concern—the Khalistanis have grown more powerful and aggressive, willing to destroy Hindu temples and beat up anyone who disagrees with them.
There is a huge disparity between Dias’s imagined world and reality. And here’s the thing: It is inconceivable that any nation would choose to disregard such grave risks to its citizens and its diaspora.
Then there are the numerous articles in prestigious publications like Foreign Policy and Foreign Affairs that contain “warnings” about India’s “illiberal democracy.” These are just a few examples of the predictable criticism that is leveled, and it almost always includes criticism of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for being an extreme base and a quasi-paramilitary organisation. The RSS asks that people put “India first,” but it ignores the fact that Hinduism is a “way of life” rather than a religion and that it is compatible with all other religions.
India will remain the target of envious observation while Europe blatantly moves to the right and the US elections are likely to create more splits than democratic unity. As long as it is still an unbiased investigation, that is not a terrible thing.
The issue is that it won’t. Anticipate additional backstabbing in a realpolitik match aimed at advancing particular national agendas.
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In the meantime, India’s intelligence services simply cannot afford to back down in the face of this destructive assault.
Instead, it’s time to enter with a positive attitude and a dash of astute diplomacy. Both are aspects of national security, which prioritizes the safety and dignity of the nation. In the interim, prepare yourself. There will be more.
