US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called upon India to cooperate with a Canadian investigation into the murder of a Sikh separatist.
During a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, this development comes amidst strained relations between Canada and India over allegations of Indian involvement in the murder.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who had previously alleged an Indian role in the killing, expressed confidence that Blinken would raise the issue during his meeting with Jaishankar.
India has categorically dismissed Canada’s allegations as absurd, leading to a diplomatic exchange where both governments expelled a diplomat in a tit-for-tat move.
A US official confirmed that “Blinken raised the Canadian matter in his meeting, (and) urged the Indian government to cooperate with Canada’s investigation,” although the official State Department statement did not mention the issue.
Trudeau had informed the Canadian parliament earlier this month of suspicions that Indian government agents were connected to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the province of British Columbia in June. Nijjar was a Canadian citizen, but India had designated him as a “terrorist.” He advocated for Khalistan, an independent homeland for Sikhs carved out of India.
While traditional Canadian allies, including the United States, have approached the matter cautiously, some political analysts suggest this approach is influenced by the perception of India as a counterweight to China’s growing influence.
When asked whether Blinken would address the case, Trudeau responded, “The Americans will certainly discuss this matter with the Indian government.”
The formal State Department statement following the meeting between Blinken and Jaishankar did not reference Nijjar’s murder or Canada as a whole. Instead, it outlined topics such as India’s G20 presidency, the establishment of an India-Middle East-Europe corridor, and discussions related to defense, space, and clean energy.
Jaishankar previously stated that New Delhi is open to examining any “specific” or “relevant” information provided by Canada regarding the murder. Trudeau, however, has not publicly disclosed any evidence, indicating that he shared “credible allegations” with India several weeks ago.
Last week, Blinken and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan expressed deep concern about the allegations raised by Trudeau. The US ambassador to Canada also revealed that some information related to the case had been gathered by the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, comprising the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
