The Canadian government has designated the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang as an terrorist organisation under its criminal code. This will bar Indians from providing it financial and material support and allow for the freezing of assets, property seizures, and criminal charges against the gang’s affiliates in the country.

This comes as India and Canada move towards a path of mending their relations, which soured in 2023 after Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister, alleged political involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Canada-based Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India rejected this charge by the Canadian government as absurd and motivated.

On September 18 this year, the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart, Nathalie G. Drouin, met in Delhi to discuss a range of issues, including pro-Khalistan activities and threats, killings, and other topics like cooperation in counterterrorism, including India’s demand that Ottawa hand over those involved in terror and separatist activities and Indian criminal activities in India.

After this NSA meeting, an Indian readout said that the two sides engaged in productive discussions on advancing the bilateral relationship that included “counterterrorism, combating transnational organised crime, and intelligence exchanges… [and] agreed to strengthen security cooperation by reinforcing existing mechanisms of engagement.”

The latest development came on Monday when the Public Safety Minister of Canada, Gary Anandasangaree, said, “Specific communities have been targeted for violence and intimidation by the Bishnoi Gang. Listing this group as a criminal terrorist organisation gives us more powerful and effective tools to confront and put a stop to these crimes.”

What is the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang?

The Lawrence Bishnoi Gang is a transnational syndicate organised in Rajasthan, and has also been active in British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta. The gang has been linked to more than 50 incidents since 2023, including firebombing at the homes of Punjabi musicians AP Dhillon and Gippy Grewal, a shooting at Indian comedian Kapil Sharma’s café in August, and an extortion racket targeting South Asians.

After months of political and community pressure, the British Columbia Premier David Eby urged the Prime Minister in June to designate the gang as a terrorist entity, citing “state-sponsored terror on our soil.”

This designation will now equip police with new tools. However, experts suggest that its impact may be limited. “The main issue is Canada’s lack of capacity in gathering criminal intelligence,” says Wesley Wark at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, according to international media.

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