India-Canada Diplomatic Dispute Not Discussed in Jaishankar’s Meeting with Blinken: US

The US State Department revealed that the recent diplomatic dispute between India and Canada, regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was not a topic of discussion during the meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week. Jaishankar and Blinken held their meeting in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, which also included Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa in attendance.

State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller clarified that the meeting was not a bilateral one and that the India-Canada dispute did not arise in that context. The US has engaged with Indian officials on this matter separately, urging them to fully cooperate with the Canadian investigation.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously made a provocative statement accusing the Indian government of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India, in response, vehemently rejected these allegations, dismissing them as baseless and driven by ulterior motives.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken had expressed deep concern about Prime Minister Trudeau’s allegations and emphasized the importance of a thorough Canadian investigation. He stressed the need for accountability and underscored the significance of India’s cooperation with Canada in this investigative process.

It’s noteworthy that Canada has not presented any public evidence to substantiate its claims regarding the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In response to these developments, India suspended its visa services in Canada. Additionally, India issued an advisory for its citizens traveling to Canada, advising them to exercise caution due to increasing anti-India activities, politically-sanctioned hate crimes, and criminal violence in the country.