OTTAWA, Canada (Diya TV) — Senior officials in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government have been accused of leaking sensitive intelligence to the Washington Post about India, according to the Globe and Mail. The alleged leak comes at an already tense time in relations between Canada and India, following recent diplomatic controversies.

The Globe and Mail says Canada’s country’s top officials had disclosed classified information associating India with the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar back in early 2023. Questions are arising over dealing with information regarding national security and the relationship Canada has on international fronts.

According to Globe and Mail, the confidential information was leaked to the Washington Post, a strategy to put pressure on India amid the diplomatic row. The story had asked for the government’s internal security protocols, which took place during the period of Trudeau’s government, along with the motivations behind leaking such information.

Neither Prime Minister Trudeau’s office nor Canada’s intelligence agencies have publicly commented on what is alleged to have been leaked. Political analysts say, if true, it could further complicate an already delicate situation between Ottawa and New Delhi. Relations deteriorated over recent months, especially after Trudeau accused India of involvement in Nijjar’s assassination during a session of Parliament in September – a claim India has strongly denied.

This leakage to a news agency of the United States is going to become one important development in the ongoing diplomatic tussle, which is already witnessing the expelling of diplomats on both sides. 

Analysts have warned that apparent leaks will harm the credibility of Canada on the world stage and complicate its relations with its major partners, including the United States. Researchers also believe that the sharing of such sensitive intelligence may ultimately prove to be a boomerang that exposes Canada to a reduced chance of participating in future intelligence-sharing agreements with other nations.