On the solemn 40th anniversary of the Kanishka bombing, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, and Canadian Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree laid wreaths at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork, Ireland, honouring the 329 lives lost in the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing, one of the deadliest acts of terrorism in aviation history.
The ill-fated Air India Flight 182, en route from Canada to India, was destroyed mid-air off the Irish coast on June 23, 1985, by a bomb planted by Canada-based Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa. All passengers on board were killed, including many of Indian origin.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, speaking at the ceremony, called the bombing a “cruel and horrific” act, and paid heartfelt tribute to the victims and their families.
“329 innocent people lost their lives over the skies of Ireland that morning. The passage of time does not dim the enormity of this loss,” he said. “It’s a deeply personal tragedy. The grief, the loss—it lives on in the hearts of the families.”
Martin also offered condolences for the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad, noting the resonance of grief between past and present tragedies. “You here today know that suffering. The people lost in Ahmedabad are in our thoughts and prayers.”
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, leading the Indian delegation, called the 1985 bombing one of the most inhuman acts of terror in aviation history. In a post on X, he reflected:
“The dastardly bombing of Air India Kanishka Flight 182 claimed 329 innocent lives. On the 40th anniversary, I join leaders from Ireland and Canada in paying tribute in a solemn moment of remembrance and unity.”
The Indian delegation also included BJP leaders Arvinder Singh Lovely, Baldev Singh Aulakh, Gurveer Singh Brar, Narinder Singh Raina, Trilok Singh Cheema, Tarun Chugh, and India’s Ambassador to Ireland Akhilesh Mishra.
As part of the ceremony, schoolchildren performed a musical tribute at the memorial. The Mayor of Cork County, Councillor Joe Carroll, also laid a wreath, joining dozens of attendees who came to pay their respects.
Canadian Minister Gary Anandasangaree joined the ceremony on behalf of Canada, which has faced criticism over the years for not acting decisively against those responsible for the attack.
Prime Minister Martin noted that while the bombing was an act of global terror, it also forged stronger ties among India, Canada, and Ireland through the shared experience of grief and resilience.
“Out of tragedy emerged dignity, remembrance, and deeper connection between families and communities across nations,” he said.
The ceremony served not only as a commemoration of those lost but also as a reaffirmation of global resolve against terrorism, reminding the world of the lasting impact such violence leaves behind.
