The MEA had informed Canada about the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and its syndicates and requested their provisional arrest and extradition some years back, and also recently.

Significantly, while rejecting Canada's allegations linking Indian diplomats to the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India also underlined its “strong and vibrant” economic ties with Canada.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that similar extradition requests of syndicates linked to the Bishnoi gang were made recently as well, but Canada has not responded yet.

India had sought the extradition of Lawrence Bishnoi gang members from Canada but is yet to receive a response from Ottawa, the MEA said Thursday.

They haven’t taken any action on our core concerns…There is a political motive also behind this,’ said the Ministry of External Affairs.

The MEA spokesperson says the current diplomatic row with Canada has been precipitated by the Trudeau government's 'baseless' allegations, and reiterated that 'no evidence' has been shared in support

Stating that the Canadian government has not taken any action on India's core concerns, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "There is a political motive also behind this".

Canadian officials this week said Bishnoi’s gang was targeting Sikh dissidents at the behest of the Indian government.

The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday that India had shared some requests with Canada for the arrest of some members from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang

India and Canada expelled six of each others' diplomats in tit-for-tat moves after Ottawa accused Indian government agents of links to the 2023 murder of a Sikh separatist leader near Vancouver. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP),