The US has denied reports suggesting that the ongoing diplomatic tension between India and Canada will negatively impact relations between New Delhi and Washington, DC. The denial was issued by the US embassy in response to an article published by Politico titled ‘Why Biden’s mum on the India-Canada spat’. The article quoted an official as stating that US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti had suggested that India-US ties “could get worse for a time” and that the US may need to reduce its contacts with Indian officials. However, the US embassy dismissed these reports and emphasized Ambassador Garcetti’s efforts to strengthen the partnership between the two countries.
The diplomatic dispute between New Delhi and Ottawa began when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. India has firmly refuted these allegations as baseless and politically motivated. The Joe Biden administration has maintained that the claims made by the Canadian government should be thoroughly investigated.
The issue was discussed during meetings between Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as well as Dr Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. The White House’s Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council, John Kirby, reiterated the need for a complete investigation into the serious allegations and encouraged India’s active participation in the process.
Previously, The Washington Post reported that Canadian officials had sought public condemnation of Nijjar’s murder from their allies, including the US, prior to the G20 summit, but faced reluctance from them.