​External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday proceeded on a nine-day visit to the US to attend the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York and meet US government officials in Washington, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Jaishankar’s visit to the US comes at a time when tensions between India and Canada have flared up over the killing of Canadian Sikh pro-Khalistan militant Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The Minister is likely to discuss the country’s position on the matter and take up concerns over growing anti-India activities and criminal violence by extremists in Canada, sources have said.

“​During his visit to New York from September 22-26, EAM will be leading the Indian delegation for the High Level Week at the 78th Session of the UNGA. ​EAM’s address at the High Level Session is scheduled for the forenoon of September 26,” per a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday.

Jaishankar will host a special event ‘India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development’ in line with India’s support for developing nations.

Itinery details

Prominent meetings scheduled for the Minister during the New York visit include ones with UN Secretary General António Guterres and President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis.

Jaishankar will then visit Washington DC from September 27-30 for bilateral meetings with US interlocutors. “His program includes inter alia, discussions with his counterpart Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, senior members of the US Administration, US business leaders and think tanks,” the statement said.

The Minister will also address the 4th World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living.

Jaishankar is likely to raise concerns on growing anti-India activities and criminal violence by pro-Khalistan separatist groups in Canada in his meeting with US officials including Blinken. “India has already told its allies, which includes the US, that it is willing to cooperate in investigations on the killing of Nijjar after Canada provided it information on the matter. The EAM is likely to reinforce the country’s stand in his meetings,” the source said.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, who is also in New York for the UNGA, reiterated on Thursday at a media briefing that there were “credible reasons” to believe that Indian government agents may have been involved in the murder of Nijjar in Canada.

India has already rejected the allegation, first made by Trudeau in the Canadian Parliament on Monday, and called it “absurd and motivated”. The country subsequently issued a travel advisory asking Indian nationals and students to exercise utmost caution while travelling in the country due to growing “politically condoned” hate crimes.

On Thursday, India temporarily suspended its visa services in Canada, stating that functioning of its missions in the country had got disrupted due to growing threats from anti-India extremists.

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