At a time when India and Canada move to strengthen bilateral ties across trade, energy, technology and security sectors, a banned pro-Khalistan organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has announced a referendum event in Edmonton, Alberta, on October 18.The event has caused concern as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney have agreed to deepen their strategic partnership covering trade, energy, technology, security and people-to-people ties.Reflecting the growing commercial engagement, Canada has dispatched a delegation of more than 300 business representatives to India, its largest trade mission to the country in more than three decades. The delegation, led by Canadian Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu, is visiting Mumbai and Bengaluru from October 12 to 17.The mission is aimed at expanding commercial ties and advancing Canada’s goal of more than doubling bilateral trade with India by 2030.Under the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the focus areas include aerospace, clean energy, technology, life sciences, agri-food and forestry.In a post on X, Sidhu said the Team Canada Trade Mission seeks to build new partnerships and create opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses. He also underscored ongoing CEPA negotiations, which both countries are targeting to conclude by the end of 2026.Canada has set a target of increasing bilateral trade with India to USD 70 billion by 2030, up from about USD 30 billion currently. According to the Canadian government, bilateral trade reached USD 30.4 billion in 2025, including USD 11 billion in goods.The trade mission comes as both countries look to widen cooperation in manufacturing, technology, energy and agriculture.The fifth round of CEPA negotiations began in Ottawa earlier this month, with energy, critical minerals and aerospace emerging as key areas of collaboration.The talks follow earlier discussions between Sidhu and Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on the sidelines of the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting.The relationship between the two countries had remained strained following the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023. The tension had deepened after the then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India for plotting the murder.Meanwhile, SFJ, led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, has conducted similar referendum-style events in the past.The Edmonton event is also attracting attention because it comes ahead of Alberta’s province-wide referendum in 2026, in which voters are expected to be asked whether the province should remain part of Canada or begin a legal process that could eventually lead to separation from the country.