NEW DELHI: Canada's intelligence service on Monday claimed that both India and China are likely to attempt to interfere in the country's upcoming general election, scheduled for April 28.
In a press conference regarding the election, Vanessa Lloyd, Deputy Director of Operations at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), said that "hostile state actors" are increasingly using artificial intelligence to meddle in the electoral process. This comes after the announcement of the snap election by Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday.
Lloyd said that the government of India has both the intent and capability to interfere in Canadian communities and democratic processes to further its geopolitical influence.
She also mentioned that China, particularly the People's Republic of China (PRC), is "highly likely" to use AI-driven tools to attempt to interfere in Canada's democratic process during this election.
China is expected to use social media to promote narratives that align with its interests, targeting Chinese ethnic, cultural, and religious communities in Canada with "clandestine and deceptive" tactics, according to Lloyd.
Both India and China have denied previous allegations of interference, and they have yet to respond to the latest claims.
In January, India rejected allegations made by a Canadian commission report accusing foreign governments of interfering in Ottawa's elections.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement, dismissing the claims and emphasizing that Canada should refrain from interfering in India's internal affairs.
The Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper, had reported that India may have used proxy agents to provide "clandestine financial support" to candidates from three political parties during a federal election.
Lloyd also warned that Russia and Pakistan could attempt to interfere in Canada's general election.
She said that Russia has worked to create "dissemination networks" across social media and news websites that promote Kremlin talking points. "It is possible that Russia will use these online networks to carry out foreign information manipulation and interference operations targeting Canadians," she said.
Lloyd further noted that Pakistan could engage in foreign interference activities to further its strategic objectives, aiming to promote political, security, and economic stability in Pakistan while countering India's growing global influence.
Tensions between India and Canada have been high since former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's September 2023 accusation that New Delhi was involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a claim India strongly denied.