Indian security agencies have flagged a deliberate and growing use of children by pro-Khalistan elements in overseas protests and cultural events, describing it as a calculated strategic shift aimed at evading law enforcement scrutiny and radicalising the next generation. The pattern has emerged as a significant concern for authorities in New Delhi.

The Canada Procession That Raised Alarms

The immediate trigger was a Nagar Kirtan procession held in Canada on 7 June, which drew close attention from Indian intelligence. According to officials, girls estimated to be between six and ten years of age were seen wearing outfits reportedly resembling suicide vests. The procession's central theme was described as revenge for Operation Bluster.

The event also featured a tableau depicting the shooting of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi bearing the caption 'most wanted', and children being encouraged to beat a cutout of the Prime Minister after removing their shoes. The Indian Tricolour was allegedly insulted during the event, with a national flag tied to a vehicle and dragged along the road, according to officials.

Why Agencies Say Children Are Being Deployed

An Intelligence Bureau official said the use of minors in such demonstrations serves multiple strategic purposes for extremist groups. 'It is a deliberate strategy aimed at evading scrutiny and action by law enforcement agencies,' the official said.

According to the official, placing children at the forefront of any protest that turns violent forces law enforcement to prioritise the safety and removal of the minors before taking any action against adult demonstrators — effectively creating a human shield dynamic. 'The children are being encouraged to develop anti-India sentiments early in life so that, as they grow older, they become active participants and supporters of the Khalistan cause,' the official claimed.

Alleged ISI Link and Radicalisation Strategy

Officials alleged that the tactic mirrors methods attributed to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which they claim recruits and radicalises young people across the border. 'The use of children and juveniles is a typical ISI strategy, and we all know that the Khalistanis are the puppets of the Pakistan spy agency,' one official said.

Security officials argued that individuals radicalised between the ages of 8 and 10 and subjected to sustained indoctrination until adulthood are, according to this assessment, more likely to become what officials described as 'hardened criminals.' Khalistani extremist elements are reportedly attempting to replicate this model, officials said.

Concerns Over Replication in Punjab

Indian agencies have warned that similar tactics could eventually be deployed within Punjab, framing it as part of a broader narrative-building strategy. Officials noted that pro-Khalistan groups have increasingly shifted away from the referendum campaigns they previously relied upon, partly because Canada and the United Kingdom are now working more closely with India on the issue.

'Disguising the Khalistan cause under the garb of religious and cultural events is a safe way of doing things,' an official said. Authorities have called for close monitoring of such events and the use of children as cover, particularly given what officials described as continued ISI pressure to revive the Khalistan movement in Punjab.