The United States made its expectation of Indian cooperation with Canada’s investigation into the probable participation of New Delhi agents in the death of a Canadian citizen in June clear on Friday in Washington.
New Delhi has responded angrily to claims that Indian operatives were involved in the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the claim on Monday.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters, “We are deeply concerned about the allegations that Prime Minister Trudeau has raised.” India’s cooperation with the Canadians in this probe is crucial. We demand responsibility.
Concerns have been voiced by the White House over the claims, but Blinken is the highest-ranking US official to remark on the matter so far.
Even the United States, one of Canada’s oldest and most reliable allies, appeared wary about the situation earlier this week. The United States and other key players regard India as a counterweight to the growing dominance of China, according to political observers.
Blinken remarked, “We have been consulting throughout very closely with our Canadian colleagues, not just consulting but coordinating with them on this issue.”
Trudeau was questioned by reporters during a press conference about the claims, and he once again urged the Indian government to cooperate.
We intend to engage India in productive ways while we are there. To get to the bottom of this very serious situation, we hope they engage with us,” Trudeau added.
Canadian concerns were already communicated to New Delhi, Trudeau said on Friday.
Canada has informed India of the credible allegations I discussed with them on Monday. Trudeau told the media that they had done so several weeks before.
Separately on Thursday, CBC News cited sources saying that after months of investigating the murder of the Sikh separatist leader, the Canadian government has amassed both human and signals intelligence.
Intelligence includes communications of Indian diplomats stationed in Canada, according to the article, with part of the information coming from an unnamed Five Eyes ally.
The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are all members of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network.
Neither Trudeau nor his office has commented on the CBC investigation or produced any evidence to support or refute its claims.
Trudeau, according to these senior government sources in Canada, would not have made such a public statement if he did not have complete faith in the data.
