The US and the UK have sided with Canada in its investigations into the killing of Canadian Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year, which identified top Indian diplomats including the former high commissioner (who was subsequently recalled by India) as ‘persons of interest’, and said they expected India to cooperate.
“We are in contact with our Canadian partners about the serious developments outlined in the independent investigations in Canada. The UK has full confidence in Canada’s judicial system. Respect for sovereignty and the rule of law is essential,” according to a statement from the spokesperson of the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued on Wednesday.
“The Government of India’s cooperation with Canada’s legal process is the right next step,” the statement added.
US backs its neighbour
The US, too, supported Canada’s investigations and said the allegations made against Indian officials and diplomats were extremely serious and India should have cooperated. “When it comes to the Canadian matter, we have made clear that the allegations are extremely serious, and they need to be taken seriously, and we wanted to see the government of India cooperate with Canada in its investigation. Obviously, they have not chosen that path,” Matthew Miller, Spokesperson, US State Department, said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
The US has urged both countries to cooperate, and will continue to urge them, Miller added.
Expelling diplomats
On Monday, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats including the high commissioner, while India expelled six high-ranking Canadian diplomats following a bitter exchange after Ottawa sent a diplomatic communication to India the previous day suggesting that the top Indian diplomats were ‘persons of interest’ in the investigations on the killing of Nijjar.
Nijjar, a supporter of the Khalistani movement, was shot and killed on June 18, 2023, in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
India strongly rejected the “preposterous imputations” and ascribed them to the political agenda of the Trudeau government centred around “vote bank politics”.