Joe Biden raised difficulty of Canadian Sikh’s loss of life with India’s Modi

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US President Joe Biden and different western leaders expressed concern to Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, about Canadian claims that New Delhi was concerned within the homicide of a Sikh separatist in Canada after they met the Indian chief on the G20 this month.

Three individuals accustomed to the discussions on the G20 summit mentioned a number of members of the 5 Eyes — an intelligence-sharing community that features the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — raised the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar with Modi. One mentioned Biden felt it was vital to boost the problem immediately together with his Indian counterpart.

Adrienne Watson, the White Home Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson, mentioned “concentrating on dissidents in different international locations is completely unacceptable and we are going to maintain taking steps to push again on this observe”.

The leaders intervened on the G20 summit after Canada urged its allies to boost the case immediately with Modi, mentioned two individuals accustomed to the state of affairs, who added Ottawa requested them to say the claims in non-public.

In a surprising transfer on Monday, Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, mentioned there have been “credible allegations” that Indian authorities “brokers” have been behind the homicide of Nijjar, who was killed in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver, in June.

The explosive declare, which New Delhi has dismissed as “absurd”, instantly cratered Canada-India relations. India on Thursday stopped issuing visas to Canadian residents and ordered Ottawa to cut back its diplomatic presence within the nation. Earlier on Thursday, the Canadian international ministry mentioned it was adjusting its employees ranges at missions in India over issues concerning the security of its diplomats.

The disaster has sparked questions on how Canada’s allies have dealt with the case, significantly given the extreme efforts the Biden administration has made to boost relations with India in an effort to create a counterweight to China. The US president hosted Modi for a high-profile state go to over the summer season.

US officers have strenuously denied that Washington was quiet on the problem to keep away from antagonising India. The White Home mentioned it was “deeply involved” after Trudeau made the claims. One individual accustomed to the pondering contained in the administration mentioned Washington concluded it might have been inappropriate to weigh in publicly earlier than the announcement due to doable authorized implications for the Canadian investigation.

US nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday dismissed options that Washington’s want to bolster ties with New Delhi would constrain its potential to voice issues concerning the allegations. He mentioned the administration took the allegations “severely” and would defend US ideas whatever the nation concerned. He mentioned the US was consulting intently with Canada.

“We’re in fixed contact with our Canadian counterparts,” mentioned Sullivan, including that the US had additionally been “in contact” with India’s authorities.

The White Home declined to touch upon whether or not Biden had raised the problem with Modi on the G20.

Chatting with reporters in New York on the sidelines of the UN Basic Meeting on Wednesday, Australia’s international minister Penny Wong mentioned Canberra had “raised our issues” with New Delhi with out giving particulars.

Canada’s public broadcaster on Thursday reported, citing federal authorities sources, that intelligence obtained by the Canadian authorities referring to Nijjar’s killing included communications involving Indian officers and Indian diplomats that have been primarily based in Canada.

Trudeau’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.