India, China could interfere in elections, claims Canadian spy agency

Vanessa Lloyd, deputy director at CSIS, also warned that China could use tools enabled by artificial intelligence

India and China are likely to interfere with Canada's general election slated to take place on April 28, while Pakistan and Russia have the potential to do so,  the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) claimed on Tuesday (IST), according to a CTV News report.

 

The remarks by Canada's spy agency come at a time when the nation is witnessing strained ties with both India and China. Vanessa Lloyd, deputy director at CSIS, warned that China could use tools enabled by artificial intelligence (AI). Her remarks came at a press briefing on efforts to protect the integrity of the general election.

 

Under a 2019 protocol, a bureaucrats' panel has the authority to warn the public if it decides one or more incidents threaten the nation's ability to hold a free and fair vote.

 

Lloyd further said that most threat actors have likely adapted their tradecraft to hide their foreign interference activity, thereby making it even more difficult to detect.

 

India-Canada tensions

 

Ties between India and Canada have been strained since September 2023 when former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that there were "credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India" and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was a designated terrorist in India.

 

India strongly rejected Trudeau's allegations, calling them "absurd and motivated." The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that Canada’s claims sought to divert attention from the presence of Khalistani extremists on its soil.

 

The accusation from the Canadian government invited a standoff between the two countries, thereby leading to the expulsion of diplomats on both sides.

 

Earlier this month, the Indian government expressed willingness to restore ties with Canada after Trudeau's successor Mark Carney took office. "The deterioration in relations was a result of the Trudeau-led Canadian government allowing extremist and secessionist groups to operate freely," the MEA stated.

 

China-Canada tensions

 

According to a Reuters report, ties between China and Canada have also been strained after Beijing announced tariffs on over $2.6 billion worth of agricultural and food products from Canada, in retaliation to levies slapped by Ottawa against Chinese electric vehicles, and steel and aluminium products last year.

 

According to Vanessa Lloyd, China is also highly likely to use social media to promote narratives that are favourable to its interests, particularly targeting Chinese ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities residing in Canada using deceptive means. 

In November 2024, Canada ordered the shutting down of TikTok, a Chinese-owned company's business in the country citing security risks. However, the Canadian government added that it was not blocking access to the short-video app platform or ability to create content. 

  (With input from agencies)