US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed growing tensions between Canada and India on Friday, saying the US was “deeply concerned” by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations that India was involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen earlier this year.
Blinken, who spoke publicly at a news conference in New York City, is the highest-ranking U.S. official to discuss the matter, which has escalated since Monday when Trudeau accused the Indian government of being involved in the June 18 killing of a Sikh activist to be and leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference at the Lotte Palace Hotel on September 22, 2023 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Nijjar was shot dead in the parking lot of a Gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship, in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia. He was a vocal Sikh activist and supporter of the Khalistan movement, which aims to create an independent Sikh homeland in the Indian state of Punjab. The separatist movement began after the partition of India-Pakistan in 1947 and is considered a controversial issue in India.
In addition to publicly accusing India this week, Canada expelled a senior diplomat from India and issued a travel warning for the country, citing the risk of terrorist attacks.
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India strongly denied involvement in Nijjar’s assassination and subsequently expelled a senior diplomat from Canada.
India on Thursday It suspended visas for Canadian citizens and issued a travel advisory for Canada, citing security threats to its diplomats there.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before the G20 Leaders’ Summit on September 9, 2023 in New Delhi. EVAN VUCCI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. is actively coordinating with Canada as it continues to investigate Nijjar’s death, he and Blinken said encouraged India to cooperate with Canada.
“In our view, it is critical that the Canadian investigation continues and it would be important for India to cooperate with the Canadians in this investigation,” Blinken said in response to a question from a journalist on the matter. “We want to see accountability and it is important that the investigation takes its course and leads to that outcome.”
He added that while the US is focused on this specific case, it also sees Nijjar’s shooting as an opportunity to deter other countries from engaging in actions that violate the order based on international rules.
“We are extremely vigilant about any cases of alleged cross-border repression, something we take very, very seriously,” Blinken said. “And I think it is important to the international system more broadly that any country that is considering engaging in such acts does not do so.”
President Joe Biden greets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on at the 2022 G7 Summit in Germany. Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Blinken was asked how these growing tensions could affect U.S. relations with India, which has become a key strategic and economic partner for the U.S. in Asia. In June, both countries signed the U.S.-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership, releasing a statement saying the agreement “reaffirms the vision that the United States and India are among the world’s closest partners.”
Blinken said he did not want to characterize or comment on the larger diplomatic discussions yet, saying the U.S. was still focused on advancing the Canadian investigation. However, he said the U.S. “also worked directly with the Indian government.”
An image of Hardeep Singh Nijjar is displayed at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Temple in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada on September 19, 2023. DON MACKINNON/AFP via Getty Images
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