The Indian government is anticipated to cooperate with Canada in efforts to look into the potential involvement of New Delhi operatives in the slaying of a Canadian citizen in June, the United States made plain on Friday.
On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Ottawa had reliable intelligence connecting Indian agents to the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. New Delhi reacted angrily to the claim and denied it.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed the claims made by Prime Minister Trudeau in a press conference, saying, “We are deeply concerned about them.” “India should collaborate with the Canadians on this probe, it is crucial. We demand accountability.
Although the White House has expressed its concerns regarding the claims, Blinken is the highest-ranking American official to have spoken out thus far.
Early this week, Canada’s longtime allies, especially the United States, seemed to approach the situation cautiously. Political observers claimed that this was partially due to the fact that the United States and other major players viewed India as a check on China’s expanding dominance.
Blinken stated, “We have been working closely with our Canadian colleagues on this issue, not just consulting but also coordinating with them.”
When questioned about the accusations at a press conference, Trudeau reiterated his need for the Indian government to cooperate.
We are there to cooperate with India in a positive way. In order for us to fully understand this really significant issue, we hope that they would cooperate with us, Trudeau said.
On Friday, Trudeau added that Canada has previously expressed its concerns to New Delhi.
“Canada has informed India of the reliable allegations I discussed on Monday. We completed it some weeks ago, Trudeau informed the press.
In a months-long inquiry into the killing of the Sikh separatist leader, the Canadian government has gathered both human and signal information, according to a separate Thursday report by CBC News citing sources.
According to the paper, the intelligence included conversations with Indian officials who were present in Canada. It also stated that some of the material came from an unnamed Five Eyes alliance ally.
The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are all members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network.
Trudeau, however, has not offered any information regarding the data that Canada’s intelligence agencies have gathered, and neither has his office either verified or disputed the CBC report.
Senior sources in the Canadian administration claim that Trudeau would not have made a public statement if he had not had complete faith in the intelligence.