Pro-Khalistani Canadian political leader and New Democratic Party (NDP) chief Jagmeet Singh has suffered a significant defeat in the 2025 federal elections.
His loss is being seen as a welcome opportunity for India and Canada to reset their bilateral diplomatic relations, which had been strained since mid-2024 following allegations by Singh and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Indian government "agents" were involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Singh was defeated by the Liberal Party’s candidate, Wade Chang, failing to retain his Burnaby Central seat in British Columbia.
Canadian media have projected the NDP to finish a distant fourth. With just seven seats, the party trails far behind Yves-François Blanchet’s Bloc Québécois, which secured 23 seats, and Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party, which won 147. Singh later announced his resignation following the decisive defeat.
According to the Canadian constitution, a political party must hold at least 12 seats in the House of Commons to retain official party status. The 46-year-old said he was "disappointed" the NDP could not secure more seats.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Singh wrote: “It has been the honour of my life to lead the NDP and to represent the people of Burnaby Central. Congratulations to Prime Minister Carney and all the other leaders on a hard-fought campaign. I know this night is disappointing for New Democrats.”
The Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, is set to form the next government after overcoming the controversy stirred by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s unsubstantiated allegations about India’s involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a known Khalistani extremist.
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Vancouver in June 2023. Trudeau subsequently accused Indian government "agents" of involvement in the killing.
In October 2024, he reiterated these claims, alleging that these agents were collaborating with criminal gangs to “target... specifically pro-Khalistani elements” in Canada.
Following these allegations, diplomatic ties between India and Canada were severely strained. A proposed $9 billion trade pact was suspended, and both countries expelled senior diplomats.
Singh’s removal from Canada’s political scene—at least for the time being—is being viewed as an opportunity for Prime Minister Mark Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to work towards mending relations and rebuilding trust between the two countries.
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