Indian diplomatic missions in Canada commemorated the 39th anniversary of the Air India Kanishka bombing on Sunday, remembering the 329 victims, including 86 children, who died in the 1985 terrorist attack.
High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma paid homage to the victims at a ceremony in Ottawa, calling the bombing a "cowardly terrorist act." The event was attended by family members, Canadian officials, and members of the Indo-Canadian community.
"India shares the sorrow and pain of the victims' near and dear ones," Verma said. "India stands at the forefront of countering the menace of terrorism and works closely with all nations to tackle this global threat."
The Consulate General of India in Toronto also held a memorial service, with Consul General S Nath laying a wreath at the Air India 182 memorial in Humber Park.
In a post on X, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recalled the Kanishka bombing and said it was a reminder why terrorism should not be tolerated.
“Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the worst acts of terrorism in history,” Jaishankar said. “Pay my homage to the memory of the 329 victims of AI 182 ‘Kanishka’ who were killed this day in 1985. My thoughts are with their families. The anniversary is a reminder why terrorism should never be tolerated.”
Air India Flight 182, en route from Montreal to London, exploded over the Atlantic Ocean on June 23, 1985, due to a bomb planted by Khalistani terrorists. All 329 on board, including 268 Canadians, 27 Britons, and 24 Indians, perished.
The bombing was believed to be retaliation for then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi-led government's Operation Bluestar in 1984, which aimed to flush out militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
The commemoration comes amidst strained relations between India and Canada. Last week, the Canadian Parliament observed a minute of silence for Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down in Canada’s British Columbia province a year ago.
India has accused Canada of harbouring Khalistani extremists and glorifying terrorism, while Canada has denied these allegations and is investigating Nijjar's killing.
Indian-origin Canadian MP Chandra Arya warned that the ideology behind the Air India bombing remains a concern. "The celebration of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination by Khalistani supporters demonstrates that dark forces have been energised again," Arya said in Parliament.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said it was committed to the Air India investigation, calling it the "longest and certainly one of the most complex domestic terrorism investigations" in the force's history.
"Our investigative efforts remain active and ongoing," said RCMP Assistant Commissioner David Teboul, offering condolences to the victims' families.
