Canada declared India’s notorious Bishnoi gang a “terrorist entity”, linking it to the 2023 murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the designation provides “more powerful tools to confront” the syndicate. The gang is known for assassinations and extortion.
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen advocating for a Sikh homeland (Khalistan), was shot dead in a parking lot. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police alleged involvement of Indian government agents and the Bishnoi gang, sparking a diplomatic crisis. India rejected the claims, leading to mutual expulsions of six diplomats each in October 2024.
Canada govt lists Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist entity: pic.twitter.com/oSYjZTs7vJ
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) September 29, 2025Lawrence Bishnoi, 31, a jailed law graduate since 2015, runs the transnational syndicate from prisons in India and abroad, per the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Operating in Canada and Nepal, the gang is accused of targeting Sikh activists. Bishnoi denies Khalistan support and “anti-national” acts. In a 2024 interview, police are probing these claims.
Read: Bishnoi Gang Threatens to Kill Anyone Working With Salman Khan After Kapil Sharma’s Café Attack
Anandasangaree’s office described the gang as a “transnational criminal organisation” generating terror through extortion. Prime Minister Mark Carney, who took office in March 2025, seeks to repair ties with India. He plans to meet PM Narendra Modi at the G7 in June. Carney emphasizes Asia trade to offset US tensions.
The designation, amid 60% of Canadians supporting stronger anti-terror laws (Angus Reid, 2025), escalates tensions between India and Canada. India accounts for 25% of the global Sikh diaspora (UN, 2025), making the issue particularly sensitive. It could impact trade, with bilateral trade volume expected to reach $10 billion in 2024 (WTO data).
