S Jaishankar and Antony Blinken did not answer questions from the media.
New Delhi:
Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met his US counterpart Antony Blinken in Washington on Thursday and discussed a range of issues. However, there was no mention of a dispute over Canada’s allegations that India was involved in the killing of a Khalistani terrorist.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly said he suspects Indian government agents were linked to the murder.
India has categorically rejected Canada’s allegations, calling them “baseless”. Mr. Jaishankar has assured Canada that India will investigate the matter if concrete information about Nijjar’s killing is provided to it.
However, the issue was not raised in discussions between Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Blinken on Thursday. Among the topics they discussed, according to the US State Department, were the key outcomes of India’s G20 presidency and the creation of an economic corridor between India, the Middle East and Europe.
“It’s nice to be here again. And of course we had the Prime Minister here this summer. “Thank you to the US for supporting the G20 summit,” Mr Jaishankar said while appearing before the media along with Mr Blinken at a meeting at the State Department.
Addressing the media, Mr Blinken said he had had “very good conversations” in recent weeks, including at the G20 summit and on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. He said he looked forward to his talks with his Indian counterpart.
The two heads of state and government did not answer questions from the media.
Mr. Jaishankar is currently on a five-day official trip to Washington.
“Pleased to meet my friend US Secretary of State @SecBlinken at the State Department today. A wide-ranging discussion following Prime Minister @narendramodi’s visit in June. Notes on global developments were also exchanged. We laid the groundwork for our 2+2 meeting very soon,” he posted on X.
Nice to meet my friend, the US Secretary of State @SecBlinken today at the Foreign Ministry.
A detailed discussion following PM @narendramodiJune visit. Notes on global developments were also exchanged.
Very soon laid the foundation for our 2+2 meeting. pic.twitter.com/mOw9SIX1dO
—Dr. S Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 28, 2023
“The minister and foreign minister also emphasized the continued importance of cooperation ahead of the upcoming 2+2 dialogue, particularly in the areas of defence, space and clean energy,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement following the meeting.
New Delhi will host the fifth edition of the 2+2 India-US Ministerial Dialogue, Mr Jaishankar announced on Thursday. Although he did not announce the dates of the meeting, it was revealed that the ministerial dialogue would take place in the first half of November.
Both sides remained tight-lipped about the direct or indirect impact of the dispute between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia earlier this year.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has claimed that the Indian government was behind the killing of Nijjar on June 18. India had designated Nijjar as terrorist in 2020. India has rejected Canada’s allegations as “absurd” and “motivated”.
Secretary Blinken refused to answer reporters’ questions about the dispute.