A new Bloomberg Originals documentary has reignited tensions between India, Canada, and the United Kingdom, alleging that British intelligence intercepts were instrumental in helping Canada build its case linking Indian officials to the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh separatist leader.
The documentary, titled Inside the Deaths that Rocked India’s Relations with the West, claims that the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) — the country’s elite signals intelligence agency — intercepted phone conversations between individuals purportedly acting “on behalf of the Indian government.” These communications allegedly referenced three targets: Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Avtar Singh Khanda, and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
According to the report, the intercepted data was shared with Canadian intelligence agencies under the Five Eyes alliance, a close intelligence-sharing network that includes the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The documentary asserts that in late July 2023, British authorities made a “breakthrough” in the case when they obtained “relevant information” tied to Nijjar’s killing. However, the material was reportedly transmitted to Ottawa under tight secrecy protocols — hand-delivered in physical form, kept off digital systems, and reviewed only by a small number of pre-cleared Canadian officials.
“The file was a summary of conversations intercepted by a British intelligence agency between individuals believed to be working on behalf of the Indian government. They discussed three potential targets: Nijjar, Khanda, and Pannun. Later, there was an exchange about how Nijjar had been successfully eliminated,” the documentary alleges.
The program also highlights the mysterious death of Avtar Singh Khanda, a UK-based Khalistani activist who died in June 2023 in Birmingham after battling leukemia. Despite speculation from separatist groups that his death was suspicious, British police concluded that there were “no suspicious circumstances.”
Following the documentary’s release, the Sikh Federation UK said it had written to UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis, demanding an explanation on why the government allegedly possessed critical intelligence from July 2023 but did not disclose it publicly — especially when MPs had raised questions about the Nijjar and Khanda cases.
Meanwhile, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, another Khalistani leader based in the United States and designated a terrorist by India, appears in the Bloomberg documentary surrounded by armed guards. Pannun claims that he lives under constant threat, saying he “fears for his life every day.”
India has strongly rejected the allegations, reiterating its stance that Ottawa’s accusations are “absurd, motivated, and politically driven.” New Delhi maintains that Canada has failed to act against extremist elements operating freely on its soil under the guise of political asylum and free speech.
The controversy dates back to June 18, 2023, when Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. Three men of Indian origin were later arrested in Canada in connection with the murder.
The matter escalated globally in September 2023, when then–Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the Canadian Parliament that his government was “actively pursuing credible allegations” linking Indian agents to Nijjar’s death. India responded with outrage, calling the statement “unsubstantiated and politically motivated.”
By October 2024, diplomatic ties had sharply deteriorated. India recalled its High Commissioner from Ottawa and expelled five Canadian diplomats, prompting reciprocal action from Canada.
Relations only began to thaw after Mark Carney, leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, took office in April 2025 following Trudeau’s exit. In June 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Carney met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit at Kananaskis, signaling an attempt to “reset” relations.
By August 2025, both countries had restored ambassadorial representation, reopening diplomatic channels after nearly two years of a deep freeze.
Despite this partial rapprochement, the Bloomberg documentary threatens to reopen old wounds. Analysts suggest that if corroborated, the revelations could once again strain India’s relations with both Canada and the UK, while intensifying scrutiny of Western intelligence cooperation in politically sensitive cases.
Indian officials, however, have dismissed the documentary as part of a coordinated narrative to malign New Delhi and said that such media reports “rely on selective leaks from intelligence circles with political motives rather than evidence.”
