US asks India to cooperate with Canada investigations of state-sponsored killings
Washington: The United States has called on India to take seriously allegations that its officials are involved in violent crimes in Canada and to cooperate with Canadian authorities, as tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi escalate.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the political parties in Canada are taking steps toward an emergency parliamentary study into the controversy.
At a State Department briefing, spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed disappointment that India has not yet chosen to collaborate with Canadian investigators, stating that the US had made clear the gravity of the allegations.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, which had not previously commented on how Canada’s allies were responding, welcomed the US support.
These allegations—centering around the involvement of Indian diplomats and consular officials in organized crime, including violent incidents targeting the South Asian community in Canada—were raised in separate press conferences by Trudeau and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on Monday. The RCMP highlighted connections between Indian agents and at least three murders over the past two years, including the killings of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Sukhdool Singh Gill, both linked to the pro-Khalistan movement.
India has denied the accusations, calling them “preposterous” and politically motivated. In response, Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats, with New Delhi retaliating by expelling six Canadian officials.
Amid rising tensions, US officials also highlighted a separate case in which an Indian intelligence officer is accused of plotting to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. While India has assured US authorities that it is investigating, there has been no clear indication of full cooperation.
As both Canada and the US seek to maintain key geopolitical ties with India, these criminal cases have created friction. Nonetheless, Canada has expressed its intent to keep economic and diplomatic channels open, with Trade Minister Mary Ng affirming the importance of maintaining commercial relations.
In Canada, opposition parties are pressuring the Trudeau government to increase measures to protect Canadian citizens, including possible sanctions on Indian diplomats. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has also called for a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist group he described as extremist.
