Dr. Jaishankar firmly rejected the Canadian government's actions against India's High Commissioner and other diplomats, asserting that New Delhi will take a strong stance when it comes to protecting its national interests, integrity, and sovereignty. "We completely reject the way the Canadian government has targeted our High Commissioner and diplomats," he stated in response to a query.

He further noted that the political landscape in Canada is enabling a certain lobby to exert undue influence, which he believes is detrimental not only to India-Canada relations but also to Canada itself. "We initially raised concerns about organized crime in Canada, but our warnings went unheeded due to this long-standing permissive atmosphere," Jaishankar remarked.

"This issue appears to stem from a specific political phase and the influence of particular political forces. We hope that more rational and responsible approaches will prevail," he added.

Jaishankar's comments come in the wake of Canada declaring Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma a "person of interest" on October 13 as part of its investigation into the June 2023 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen designated as a Khalistani terrorist by India. In response to this declaration, New Delhi recalled Verma along with five other diplomats who were similarly implicated, prompting India to expel six Canadian diplomats in retaliation.