EAM S Jaishankar, Canada minister Melanie Joly hold 'frank' talks amid strained ties

EAM S Jaishankar, Canada minister Melanie Joly hold ‘frank’ talks amid strained ties

NEW DELHI: Amid little indication of any improvement in India-Canada relations, which have been upended by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist, foreign minister S Jaishankar and his counterpart Melanie Joly had a “frank” discussion on the present state of bilateral ties.

This was only the first officially confirmed meeting between the two leaders since Trudeau’s allegations in the Canadian Parliament last year in September of India’s role in the assassination of Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. They were said to have met in Washington the same month to discuss the issue but that meeting was never confirmed by the Indian side.

Jaishankar reiterated New Delhi’s concerns about the anti-India activities of Khalistan separatists in Canada and the threat from terrorism and extremism which, as Indian authorities have repeatedly stated, Ottawa has allowed to go unchecked. While there was no readout by either side of the meeting, Joly said in a post on X they had frank talks.

India hasn’t joined the Canadian probe into the killing of Nijjar because of Ottawa’s reluctance or inability to share any evidence with Indian authorities. Joly also said she discussed “Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine”. While outgoing Canadian NSA Jody Thomas had recently claimed that India’s position had evolved and New Delhi was now cooperating with the probe, this was contradicted by Indian high commissioner Sanjay Verma who said for India to cooperate, Canadian authorities needed to first share “specific and relevant” evidence.

Interestingly, a Canadian minister seemed to admit as much when he told a Parliamentary hearing on the case last week that the concerns Canada has raised with India are allegations, as the probe is ongoing.

Canada has also maintained that with progress in investigations, its police will be able to share information for India to consider. Asked why Trudeau decided to take the “credible allegations” to Parliament just before the same was leaked to the Canadian media, the minister said it was implausible, knowing the media was about to release the “sensational story”, that govt would simply choose not to comment. “PM’s decision… was meant to address a concerned Canadian public and reassure them about what govt’s approach would be in addressing this issue and how the government had already been actively involved, including the Prime Minister’s raising it personally with Prime Minister Modi at the G20,” he said.

“I think I spoke earlier and I’ll repeat again that the allegations were sensational and unprecedented, and since Mr. Nijjar’s murder earlier in summer, it is the case that this community of Canadians had already been very concerned about their security,” added the minister, when asked again why Trudeau went to the House of Commons, instead of allowing the RCMP, which is conducting the probe, to speak.

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