Ottawa: In a significant move, Canada has included India on its list of cyber threat adversaries for the first time, citing concerns over espionage. This inclusion ranks India alongside nations like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea in terms of cyber threats to Canadian networks.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026 (NCTA 2025-2026) report, released by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, identifies Indian state-sponsored actors as likely to target Canadian government networks. The report emerges against the backdrop of deteriorating bilateral relations following accusations by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last year. Trudeau alleged credible evidence of Indian government involvement in the assassination of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023, claims that India has vehemently denied.

The NCTA 2025-2026 report, published on October 30, aims to outline the predominant cyber threats facing Canada’s government and private sectors. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, which functions under the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE), has declared the need for increased vigilance and security measures in light of these findings.