Ottawa, Canada: India has dismissed allegations from a Canadian commission report accusing foreign governments, including India, of interfering in Toronto's elections. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticized Canada's involvement in India's internal affairs, claiming that it was, in fact, Canada that had repeatedly interfered in India's domestic matters, particularly fostering illegal migration and organized crime.

The controversy erupted following an article in The Globe and Mail, which claimed India used proxy agents to fund candidates in a Canadian federal election. Canada's National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, in its June 2024 report, named India as the second-most active country in foreign electoral interference in Canada, following China. The report also highlighted ongoing challenges in the Canada-India relationship, contributing to these allegations.

Further tensions escalated after the expulsion of six Indian diplomats in October 2024, accused of orchestrating violence in Canada. India retaliated by expelling six Canadian diplomats. The Canadian report also suggested India spread disinformation about the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, though no state connection was established in the killing. India rejected these claims as part of a broader "smear campaign," warning that such actions would strain already delicate diplomatic ties.