Indian missions in Ottawa and Toronto commemorated the 39th anniversary of the tragic Kanishka bombing of 1985, which resulted in the death of 329 people, including 86 children, on an Air India flight. This incident remains one of the most egregious acts of terror in civil aviation history.
High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma honored the victims of Air India Flight 182 Kanishka, referring to the incident as a "cowardly terrorist bombing," according to a post on X by the High Commission in Ottawa, which included photos from the event.
In his speech, Verma emphasized, “No government in the world should overlook the threat of terrorism emanating from its territories for political gains. Human lives are much more important than the transitory political interests. All terrorist activities should be met with exemplary legal and social actions, before they start harming the larger humanity. Governments, security agencies, and international organisations must work in concert to dismantle terrorist networks, disrupt their financing, and counter their twisted ideologies.”
The solemn event was attended by family and friends of the victims, Canadian government officials, including Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner, Ireland envoy, and over 150 members of the Indo-Canadian community, as reported by the High Commission.
The High Commission stated, "India shares the sorrow and pain of the victims' near & dear ones. India stands at the forefront of countering the menace of terrorism and works closely with all nations to tackle this global threat."
Air India Flight 182, traveling from Montreal to New Delhi, exploded 45 minutes before its scheduled landing at London’s Heathrow Airport on June 23, 1985, claiming the lives of all 329 passengers, most of whom were Canadians of Indian origin. The bombing was attributed to Sikh militants retaliating against 'Operation Bluestar,' a 1984 military operation to expel militants from the Golden Temple.
In Toronto, the Indian mission also commemorated the anniversary. The Consulate General of India in Toronto posted on X that Consul General Siddhartha Nath laid a wreath at the Air India 182 memorial in Humber Park, Etobicoke, in solemn remembrance of the victims. The Consul General also participated in a memorial service at Queen’s Park Toronto, meeting with the bereaved families.
"In his remarks he highlighted the importance of unified global efforts to combat terrorism and standing firm against its glorification," the mission noted in another post, accompanied by several photographs.
Earlier that day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid tribute to the 329 victims of the Kanishka bombing, stating, "Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the worst acts of terrorism in history." He added, "My thoughts are with their families. The anniversary is a reminder why terrorism should never be tolerated," in a post on X.
On Friday, the Canadian police reiterated that investigations into the Air India Flight 182 bombing remain "active and ongoing," describing it as the "longest" and one of the "most complex domestic terrorism" investigations. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Assistant Commissioner David Teboul described the bombing as the "greatest terror-related loss of life involving and affecting Canadians" in Canadian history, expressing "deepest sympathies, understanding, and support to the families of the victims."
"The Air India investigation is the longest and certainly one of the most complex domestic terrorism investigations that the RCMP has undertaken in our history," Teboul stated. "Our investigative efforts remain active and ongoing," he added.
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