Surrey, BC: The recent appointment of Parag Jain as the new Chief of India’s foreign intelligence agency, the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW), has sparked sharp condemnation from Sikh organizations across Canada. In letters addressed to senior Canadian officials, Sikh leaders have warned that this move by the Indian government is a “stark demonstration” of its (alleged) disregard for human rights and international norms—and a direct threat to Canada’s sovereignty.
A report on India’s state-run broadcaster All India Radio reported on 28 June 2025: “The government has appointed senior IPS officer Parag Jain as the next Secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for a term of two years. Jain, who is a 1989-batch IPS officer of the Punjab cadre, will succeed Ravi Sinha”.
“The appointment committee of the cabinet has approved the appointment of Parag Jain”, All India Radio noted.
“Parag Jain is not an obscure figure,” stated a joint press release issued by the Sikh Federation Canada, British Columbia Gurdwaras Council, Ontario Gurdwaras Committee, and Quebec Sikh Council. “He served as a Senior Superintendent of Police and later Deputy Inspector General in Punjab during the peak of atrocities against Sikhs, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture.”
Human rights organizations have long documented these abuses, many of which they classify as crimes against humanity. Parag Jain’s appointment to lead India’s foreign intelligence service, the groups argue, is tantamount to endorsing such actions—and represents a deliberate escalation in India’s campaign of transnational repression.
The press release highlights Parag Jain’s previous role in Canada, where he allegedly operated under diplomatic cover and was identified in Canadian intelligence reports as orchestrating interference and surveillance campaigns targeting Sikh communities. As per Canadian media reports, a 2019 briefing by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) cited by the groups detailed a sharp rise in Indian intelligence activity in 2016, including attempts to infiltrate diaspora organizations and interfere in Canadian elections.
“At the time these activities were documented, CSIS sought to dismantle the intelligence network Jain helped operate,” the statement reads. “According to NSICOP, those efforts were curtailed by Canadian officials concerned about ‘strategic interests’ tied to the Prime Minister’s then-upcoming trip to India.”
Sikh leaders argue that Canada’s failure to act decisively in the past has enabled continued Indian interference. “This is a shocking development that should raise alarm bells for Canadian officials,” the release warned. “The fact that India has elevated an individual known to have participated in and directed foreign interference operations against Canada to the highest position in its intelligence agency demonstrates India’s continued refusal to account for its crimes.”
The timing of the appointment has further intensified concerns, coming shortly after Prime Minister Carney’s decision to restore full diplomatic relations with India. The release criticized the move, warning it “will have grave consequences for Canada and Canadians” by signaling to foreign governments that “they can carry out violent operations on Canadian soil… and still be treated as legitimate partners in trade and diplomacy.”
In response, Canada based Sikh organizations are calling for immediate government action. They are demanding:
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A public condemnation of Parag Jain’s appointment and reaffirmation of Canada’s commitment to accountability for foreign interference.
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An independent public inquiry into Indian transnational repression in Canada, including the assassination of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
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The immediate suspension of all intelligence and security agreements with India that could facilitate human rights abuses or violate Canadian law.
“This appointment is a direct affront to Canada’s sovereignty and all those who have experienced firsthand the violence and surveillance of India’s intelligence apparatus,” the Sikh organizations said.
As diplomatic relations between Ottawa and New Delhi enter a new phase, the Canadian Sikh community leaders insist that justice and accountability must come first.
Joint Press Release by Sikh Organizations of Canada:
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