Marking the 40th anniversary of the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar paid tribute to the 329 lives lost and reaffirmed India&rsquo;s firm stance against terrorism and violent extremism.
Taking to X, Jaishankar stated, &ldquo;On the 40th anniversary of Air India 182 'Kanishka' bombing, we honour the memory of the 329 lives lost in one of the worst acts of terrorism. A stark reminder of why the world must show zero tolerance towards terrorism and violent extremism.&rdquo;
The ill-fated Air India Flight 182 was en route from Montreal to Mumbai, via London and Delhi, when it was brought down by a mid-air explosion over the Atlantic Ocean near the Irish coast on June 23, 1985. All 329 people onboard, including 22 crew members, perished in the attack.
Investigations later revealed that the blast was caused by a bomb placed in luggage checked in at Vancouver, pointing to a transnational terrorist conspiracy. The Khalistani extremist outfit Babbar Khalsa was identified as the group behind the attack. Inderjit Singh Reyat, a British-Canadian national, admitted guilt in 2003 for building the bomb. Talwinder Singh Parmar, a founder of Babbar Khalsa, was considered the chief conspirator.
To commemorate the victims, a high-level Indian delegation led by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri attended a memorial service at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork, Ireland. The delegation also included BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh and MLAs from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Jammu &amp; Kashmir.
Ireland's Prime Minister Miche&aacute;l Martin, Canadian Minister Gary Anandasangaree, and various global dignitaries joined the solemn tribute ceremony held on Monday. Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.

On 40th anniversary, EAM calls for global zero tolerance towards terrorism and violent extremism

Jaishankar Pays Tribute on Kanishka Bombing Day

On 40th anniversary, EAM calls for global zero tolerance towards terrorism and violent extremism

June 23, 2025 | 17:25 IST