Amid escalating tensions between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a news report from The Telegraph has revealed that ‘Indian’ hackers temporarily disabled the official website of the Canadian Armed Forces. This cyberattack appears to be a response to allegations made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the potential involvement of “agents of the Indian government” in Nijjar’s killing.
The hacker group responsible for the attack by the hackers, operating under the Twitter handle ‘Indian Cyber Force,’ shared a screenshot on social media after successfully taking down the Canadian Armed Forces website. The group expressed its displeasure with Trudeau’s allegations and issued a warning to Canadian authorities, indicating that they should be prepared to experience the hacker’s power.
According to Daniel Le Bouthillier, the media relations head of the Department of National Defence of Canada, the disruption to the website began around noon. While the website became inaccessible to mobile users and experienced disruptions for some desktop users, there are no broader implications of the hacking. The disruption was subsequently rectified. It’s worth noting that the website that was hacked is not part of the Canadian government; the websites and internal networks of the Canadian government are managed by the National Defence Department.
The incident has prompted an investigation by Canadian Forces, involving various units, including the Canadian Navy, special command groups, and air and space operations. The investigation will aim to determine the source and motive behind the cyberattack.
The diplomatic row between India and Canada is having wider implications for India’s engagement with Western nations. During his address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, emphasized the importance of a rules-based order and called for an equitable and democratic international system. He stated that “political convenience” should not guide responses to terrorism and extremism, highlighting the need for a fair and democratic global order where the interests of all nations are considered.
The cyberattack on the Canadian Armed Forces website adds a new dimension to the ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, further highlighting the challenges in managing international relations in an increasingly interconnected and digital world.