Canada Flags Khalistani Extremist Groups, Allies Urged to Join Crackdown

Australia, the UK, New Zealand, and the US should work with Canada to shut down Khalistani extremist fundraising and propaganda networks, according to a report published in The Australia Today.

The report said coordinated action is needed through closer intelligence sharing, tighter checks on suspicious non-profits, and clear political distancing from separatist lobbies. It stressed that Khalistani extremism has often been dismissed as only India’s problem, but Canada’s official recognition proves it is now a global security issue.

“Canada has broken the silence. Now its allies — including Australia — must act too,” wrote Amit Sarwal, co-founder of The Australia Today. He argued that Australia, with its large Indian diaspora and close ties with New Delhi, is well placed to take the lead.

For the first time, Canada officially acknowledged that banned groups like Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation are promoting separatism and violence within its borders. The 2025 Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks described these groups as national security threats, showing a major change in Ottawa’s counterterrorism approach.

The assessment noted that while most of their activities are aimed at India, they also pose serious risks to Canada’s security and foreign policy. This follows the 2024 annual report of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), which warned that Canada-based Khalistani extremists remain a threat to national interests. Importantly, the Canadian government for the first time labelled them as “extremists.”

India has long accused Canada of turning a blind eye to such groups, calling it a safe haven for extremists. Canada’s admission is being seen as a breakthrough in bilateral relations, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney at the G7 Summit in Alberta earlier this year.

The report concluded that now is the moment for the Five Eyes alliance — Australia, Canada, the US, UK, and New Zealand — to draw a clear line between free speech and violent extremism, and act together.