Indo-Canada tension: The US, the UK, Australia “deeply concerned”
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Although the Khalistani angle in Indo-Canadian bilateral relations was simmering for years, the sudden meltdown of bilateral relations between New Delhi and Ottawa has taken the US-led West and its allies by surprise, barely a week after the G-20 Summit where India won accolades.
The West appears worried that the Khalistani extremists, whose remnants also operate from Pakistan, could drag Canada into the anti-West camp of Russia and China as the Justin Trudeau government is heavily dependent on the New Democratic Party (NDP), led by separatist Jagmeet Singh alias Jimmy Dhaliwal, a Canadian MP, for its political survival.
That is why the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia, all close allies of Canada and members of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance, have conveyed serious concerns regarding Prime Minister Trudeau’s claim of a ‘potential link’ between Indian officials and the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver in June.
Rejecting PM Trudeau’s allegations against India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) termed the claims as “absurd and motivated”. The MEA stressed that such “unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists…who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty.”
In response to Ottawa’s highly publicized expulsion of an unnamed Indian diplomat, allegedly linked to Nijjar’s death, New Delhi has likewise expelled a “high-ranking Canadian diplomat.”
After this drastic action, PM Trudeau also reportedly spoke to some of Canada’s closest allies like the UK, the US, and Australia, the media reported on Tuesday.
Reacting to it, an official spokesman in London said “We are in close touch with our Canadian partners about these serious allegations. It would be inappropriate to comment further during the ongoing investigation by the Canadian authorities.”
In a brief statement, the White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said, “We are deeply concerned about the allegations referenced by Prime Minister Trudeau.”
“We remain in regular contact with our Canadian partners. It is critical that Canada’s investigation proceed and the perpetrators be brought to justice,” he said.
A spokesperson for Australia’s Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, stated that Canberra’s apprehensions had been communicated to New Delhi at “senior levels. Australia is deeply concerned by these allegations and notes ongoing investigations into this matter. Australia believes all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law. We are closely engaged with partners on developments.”
These “reports will be particularly concerning to some Australian communities,” the spokesperson said and stressed the importance of free speech.
