1985 Air India Kanishka bombing: India, Ireland and Canada pay tribute

Diplomats from India, Ireland and Canada gathered in New Delhi on 23 June 2026 to remember the victims of the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, known as the Kanishka. The ceremony at Canada House paid tribute to the 329 people who lost their lives in what remained the deadliest act of aviation terrorism until the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

Air India Flight 182 was flying the Montreal-London-Delhi route on 23 June 1985 when a bomb planted by Khalistani terrorists exploded on the Boeing 747 at an altitude of about 9,400 metres. The aircraft crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while in Irish airspace. All 329 people on board were killed, including 268 Canadians (most of Indian origin), 27 British citizens, 22 Indian citizens, 10 Americans and two others.

In the days after the tragedy, the Irish Naval Service led the operation to recover the victims and the wreckage. Many grieving relatives stayed with the people of the village of Ahakista in County Cork, which built a permanent memorial in 1986 and holds a commemoration there every year on 23 June.

The day carries deep meaning across the three nations. Canada observes 23 June as the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, with permanent memorials in cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. At the Delhi ceremony, participants laid wreaths at a memorial tree, observed a moment of silence and signed a remembrance book, while officials reaffirmed a shared commitment to remembrance, justice and peace.

For exams, the Kanishka bombing is an important case study on terrorism, internal security and India's diaspora. Aspirants should note the date, the link to Khalistani extremism, the toll of 329 lives, the international cooperation in remembrance, and its standing as one of the worst aviation terror attacks in history.