Washington Urges New Delhi to Take Canadian Allegations Seriously

INA-follow-up

The United States has called on India to take "seriously" the "grave" accusations made by Canada in connection with the investigation into the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader.

This comes on the heels of a diplomatic standoff between New Delhi and Ottawa, marked by the expulsion of each other's ambassadors and several senior diplomats.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated to reporters, "We have made it clear that these allegations are serious and must be taken seriously."

 He added, "All we would like to see is India cooperate with Canada in its investigations," but noted that Indian officials "chose a different path."

The American official's comments came after India and Canada exchanged the expulsion of their ambassadors and five other senior diplomats.

This diplomatic rift intensified after New Delhi announced that its High Commissioner in Canada was considered among "persons of interest" in the case of the assassination of the separatist leader last year in Vancouver.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar,was shot dead on June 18, 2023, by masked assailants in a Sikh temple parking lot near Vancouver on Canada’s west coast.

The case has plunged Canada and India into a dangerous diplomatic crisis since last fall when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hinted at potential involvement by the Indian government in the assassination, a claim that New Delhi deemed "absurd."

The United States maintains close ties with its neighbor and ally, Ottawa, but it also regards India as a key regional partner in countering China’s rise in Asia.