U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Urges India to Cooperate with Canadian Investigation into Sikh Separatist’s Murder
WASHINGTON/OTTAWA, Sept 28 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on India to cooperate with a Canadian investigation into the murder of a Sikh separatist, according to a U.S. official. Blinken made the request during a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday at the State Department in Washington.
The murder in question involves Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who supported the cause of Khalistan, or an independent homeland for Sikhs in India. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has alleged Indian government agents’ involvement in Nijjar’s killing and expressed certainty that Blinken would discuss the issue with Jaishankar.
India has dismissed Canada’s allegations as absurd, leading to strained ties between the two nations and the expulsion of a diplomat from each country in a tit-for-tat move.
Although the U.S. official confirmed Blinken raised the Canadian matter during the meeting, the official State Department statement made no mention of the issue. This cautious approach from traditional Canadian allies, including the United States, may be influenced by their view of India as a counterweight to China’s growing influence.
Trudeau has yet to publicly present any evidence supporting the allegations, but he claims to have shared “credible allegations” with India “many weeks ago.” Last week, Blinken and U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan expressed deep concern about the allegations raised by Trudeau.
The investigation into Nijjar’s murder has garnered attention from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. The U.S. ambassador to Canada confirmed that the alliance has gathered information on the case.
During the meeting between Blinken and Jaishankar, discussions primarily focused on India’s G20 presidency, the creation of an India-Middle East-Europe corridor, and topics such as defense, space, and clean energy. The State Department released a short readout of the meeting that did not mention Nijjar’s murder or Canada as a whole.
Trudeau’s allegations and the subsequent request for India’s cooperation in the investigation add another layer of complexity to the already delicate relationship between the two countries. Both Canada and India will need to navigate this challenging situation while preserving bilateral ties and addressing concerns raised by key allies.
Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Humeyra Pamuk in Washington and David Ljunggren in Ottawa
Editing by Chris Reese, Nick Zieminski, Michael Perry & Simon Cameron-Moore
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