30-9-2023 (WASHINGTON) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken engaged in a conversation with his Indian counterpart on Thursday (Sep 29) regarding the recent killing of a Sikh separatist advocate in Canada. A spokesperson from the State Department disclosed that Blinken urged India to fully cooperate with the ongoing Canadian investigation into the incident.
India’s Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, confirmed on Friday that he had discussed the Canadian allegations with Blinken and the US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan. The allegations suggest the possible involvement of the Indian government in the June killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada.
During an event organized by the Hudson Institute in Washington, Jaishankar stated, “They shared US views and assessments on this whole situation, and I explained to them at some length… a summary of the concerns which I had.”
The relationship between India and Canada has become strained due to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement to parliament earlier this month. Trudeau expressed suspicion that Indian government agents may be linked to the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
This incident has put the United States in a diplomatically awkward position, given that Canada is a neighboring country and a formal ally. Furthermore, Washington has been actively working towards strengthening its relationship with India, considering it a key partner in countering China’s expanding influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The official readout of the meeting between Blinken and Jaishankar, issued by the State Department on Thursday, did not mention the Nijjar issue. However, an unnamed US official later confirmed that the matter was raised during the meeting and that Blinken had urged India to cooperate with the investigation. A State Department spokesperson later stated that the two officials “discussed a full range of issues impacting the important, strategic, and consequential relationship between the United States and India.” The spokesperson added that Blinken took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of India’s full cooperation in the ongoing Canadian investigation.
Speaking in Quebec on Thursday, Trudeau expressed confidence that Blinken would address the issue with Jaishankar.
Nijjar, an Indian citizen who held Canadian citizenship, was labeled a “terrorist” by India. He advocated for Khalistan, an independent homeland for Sikhs separate from India.
Traditional Canadian allies, including the United States, have approached the matter cautiously. Analysts suggest that this cautious approach is partly due to the perception of India as an essential counterweight to China by major global players.
On Tuesday, Jaishankar stated that India had informed Canada of its willingness to investigate any “specific” or “relevant” information provided regarding the killing.
Trudeau, who has yet to publicly disclose any evidence, mentioned last week that he had shared “credible allegations” with India “many weeks ago.”
Last week, Blinken and Sullivan expressed deep concern about the allegations raised by Trudeau. The US ambassador to Canada revealed that information related to the case had been collected by the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, comprising the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Britain.
