Jaishankar Remembers Kanishka Victims After 40 Years

June 23, 2025: On the solemn occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Kanishka bombing, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar paid tribute to the 329 lives lost in what he described as “one of the worst acts of terrorism.”

Taking to X, Jaishankar wrote, “On the 40th anniversary of Air India 182 ‘Kanishka’ bombing, we honour the memory of the 329 lives lost. A stark reminder of why the world must show zero tolerance towards terrorism and violent extremism.”

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Air India Flight 182 was destroyed mid-air on June 23, 1985, by a bomb planted by Canada-based Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa. The plane exploded off the coast of Cork, Ireland, killing all passengers and crew on board.

A large delegation from India attended the memorial ceremony at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork, Ireland. Led by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, the delegation included several BJP leaders and India’s Ambassador to Ireland, Akhilesh Mishra.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, Canadian Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree, and the Mayor of County Cork, Councillor Joe Carroll, also participated in the event. Schoolchildren offered musical tributes, and wreaths were laid to honor the victims.

Addressing the gathering, PM Micheal Martin said, “The scale of this horrific act is of global significance, but it remains an intensely personal tragedy.” He emphasized that despite the passage of time, the grief remains fresh for the families who continue to commemorate their loved ones with great dignity.

“The simple words etched on the memorial — student, child — are deeply moving,” Martin added, highlighting the loss of many young lives in the tragedy.