India’s Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, stated on Tuesday that India is willing to investigate any “specific” or “relevant” information provided by Canada regarding the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously announced credible intelligence linking Indian agents to the murder, which initially elicited a strong denial from New Delhi.
Jaishankar addressed the allegations during a Council on Foreign Relations event in New York, outlining India’s diplomatic response. He clarified that India had informed Canada that such actions were not the policy of the Indian government and encouraged Canada to share any specific or relevant information they had for investigation.
In response to the situation, India suspended new visas for Canadians and requested Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in India, citing deteriorating security conditions.
Jaishankar emphasized that India had been pressing Canada regarding its claims of organized criminal activities, particularly among separatist groups like Nijjar. He also mentioned that India had made numerous extradition requests.
He provided context by highlighting the rise of organized crime, violence, and extremism in Canada in recent years, particularly related to secessionist movements.
Canada’s allies, including the United States, expressed cautious concern over the allegations and urged India to cooperate with Canada’s investigation. The US ambassador to Canada revealed that the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, comprising the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, had collected some information related to the case.