Canadian national security officials have raised alarm over the Srivastava Group, an Indian business organization based in Canada, and its senior executive, Ankit Srivastava, claiming their involvement in covert activities aimed at influencing Canadian politics.
The Srivastava Group, which operates across Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada, owns businesses in several sectors, including media and oil and gas. However, according to public records obtained by Global News, there is a concerning connection between Srivastava and Indian intelligence agencies.
A 2015 report from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) reveals that the Srivastava Group’s vice chair was allegedly tasked by Indian intelligence in 2009 with influencing Canadian politicians. The mission involved identifying “random Caucasian politicians” and providing them with financial support and pro-India propaganda to sway their positions on key issues concerning India.
In a later 2021 report, CSIS accused the Srivastava Group of running fake websites posing as legitimate news outlets, some of which were designed to target Canadian audiences. The aim was to promote a pro-India narrative and criticize Pakistan, the report claimed.
The Canadian immigration authorities took further action, declaring Srivastava a “serious threat to Canada” due to concerns over his involvement in attempts to influence elections. These fake media outlets were seen as a potential tool to manipulate public opinion and jeopardize the integrity of the Canadian electoral system.
The allegations against Srivastava come amid growing concerns over foreign interference in Canada, particularly from India. Canadian officials suspect that Indian agents have been involved in illicit financial support aimed at influencing political candidates with pro-India agendas, as detailed in a January 2023 report from Canada’s Foreign Interference Commission.
Although specific individuals were not named, the government’s accusations against Srivastava and his company have been documented in hundreds of pages of public records filed in Canada’s Federal Court.
The Srivastava Group’s disinformation activities extend beyond Canada. In 2019 and 2020, the EU DisinfoLab, a Brussels-based collective focused on countering disinformation, uncovered a vast network of over 265 fake news websites operating in more than 65 countries. These websites were allegedly designed to spread Indian interests by discrediting Pakistan, particularly within the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN).
The network aimed to sway public opinion and diplomatic decisions in favor of India and to undermine countries in conflict with it, such as Pakistan and, to a lesser extent, China. These activities also targeted the South Asian diaspora in Canada, with the goal of improving India’s international image.
In 2022, Canadian immigration authorities informed Srivastava that his immigration application was against the country’s interests, pointing to his prominent role in the Srivastava Group’s disinformation campaigns. The group has been linked to fake news outlets such as *EP Today*, *EU Chronicle*, *The Times of Geneva*, and *4 News Agency*, all of which were found to be pushing pro-India narratives while misrepresenting information about India’s geopolitical rivals.
Sixteen of these websites were designed to appear as Canadian news outlets, according to a report from Canadian immigration officials. The sites were used to amplify false or misleading articles that advanced India’s political interests, particularly targeting Pakistan.
The Srivastava Group’s activities echo previous allegations against India’s disinformation campaigns abroad. In 2017, *Geo News* revealed how India had orchestrated a campaign against Pakistan through staged protests and paid volunteers. This report exposed the Indian government’s covert operations, which included placing anti-Pakistan ads on billboards, buses, and rickshaws, as well as using fake protests to malign Pakistan during a crucial session of the UN Human Rights Council.
These efforts, along with the Srivastava Group’s ongoing disinformation operations, have led to increasing scrutiny of India’s foreign influence activities, particularly those aimed at destabilizing governments and manipulating international perceptions for political gain.
The revelations about Srivastava’s involvement in spreading fake news and influencing elections highlight the extent of foreign interference in Canada’s political processes and underscore the need for vigilance against such covert operations.
