The United States has urged the Indian government to collaborate with Canada in the investigation into the possible involvement of Indian agents in the murder of a Canadian citizen, the foreign media reported on Saturday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had revealed credible intelligence linking Indian agents to the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar earlier this week, leading to a strong denial of the allegations by New Delhi.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed deep concern over these allegations during a press briefing, stating, “We are deeply concerned about the allegations that Prime Minister Trudeau has raised. It would be important that India work with the Canadians on this investigation. We want to see accountability.”
The White House had previously voiced its concerns regarding the allegations, but Blinken’s statement underlines the gravity of the situation.
It is worth noting that traditional Canadian allies, including the United States, have approached this matter with caution, in part due to India’s role as a counterbalance to China’s growing influence on the global stage.
Blinken emphasized close coordination between the United States and Canada on this matter, stating, “We have been consulting throughout very closely with our Canadian colleagues, not just consulting but coordinating with them on this issue.”
During a press conference, Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated the call for India to cooperate in the investigation, emphasizing a constructive approach. He stated, “We are there to work constructively with India. We hope that they engage with us so that we can get to the bottom of this very serious matter.”
Furthermore, Trudeau revealed that Canada had shared the credible allegations with India weeks before making them public. “Canada has shared the credible allegations that I talked about on Monday with India. We did that many weeks ago,” he said.
According to CBC News, the Canadian government has conducted an extensive investigation into the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, gathering both human and signals intelligence over several months.
