US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday called on India to cooperate with an investigation by Canada into the killing of a Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June that has triggered a major diplomatic row between New Delhi and Ottawa.
“We think it is very important that India works with Canada on its investigation, and that they find a way to resolve this difference in a cooperative way,” Blinken said.
“But that really does go with Canada moving its investigation forward and India working with Canada on it. And that’s something that I’ve discussed with our Indian counterparts, including today,” he further said at a press briefing.
Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin were in Delhi for the fifth edition of the ‘2+2’ dialogue.
“These (India and Canada) are two of our closest friends and partners, and of course we want to see them resolving any differences or disputes that they have as a friend of both,” Blinken added.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said India conveyed to the US side its serious concerns over increasing activities of pro-Khalistani elements in Canada. “Insofar as Canada is concerned we have been having very consistent conversations with all our friends and partners. Our position on this matter has been enunciated and explained in full detail on multiple occasions,” Kwatra said.
“The thrust of our conversations with our partners is no different today than it is at any other forum — it is essentially that we have core security concerns, a recent video surfaced from Pannun which presents a very serious security concern for the Indian interest,” he added.
