India open to probing Canada’s allegations on Nijjar: Jaishankar

Jaishankar made the comments on Wednesday in London in response to questions during a conversation with veteran journalist Lionel Barber titled ‘How a Billion People See the World'.

"If you have a reason to make such an allegation, please share the evidence with us. We are not ruling out an investigation and looking at anything they may have to offer. They haven't done so," he said.

Jaishankar was on a five-day official visit to the UK.

Relations between India and Canada have taken a huge hit following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.

New Delhi rejected Trudeau's allegations as "absurd".

Khalistanis in Canada

Jaishankar also complained that Canadian politics has given space to violent and extreme political opinions which advocate separatism from India, including through violent means.

"These people have been accommodated in Canadian politics. They are given the freedom to articulate their views," he said.

Jaishankar said he was in touch with his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly on the issue.

He recalled the attacks on the High Commission of India in Canada or smoke bomb attacks on the High Commission and Consulate General, and said Indian diplomats were intimidated in public. But no action was taken by Canadian authorities against the culprits.

Asked if Nijjar was a terrorist, Jaishankar replied: “He has a track record which is there on the social media. That’s a pretty graphic track record. I would let everyone form their own opinions.”

Days after Trudeau's allegations in September, India temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country.

Ties with China

On China, Jaishankar said the 2020 deadly clash in the Galwan Valley had vitiated the relationship between the two countries.

He said China did not adhere to the agreements of 1993 and 1996 not to amass troops at the Line of Actual Control.

"It is important that agreements are kept. And then that doesn't happen that has consequences in terms of credibility and cost," he said.

On another question, he said India helped in managing global inflation through a strategic approach to oil purchases amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

While the West imposed sanctions and restrictions on Russia’s oil exports since its war on Ukraine, India's refiners have been snapping up discounted Russian oil.

“So, we've actually softened the oil markets and the gas markets through our purchase policies. We have, as a consequence, actually managed global inflation. I'm waiting for the thank you,” Jaishankar said.

American power

Speaking on America, Jaishankar said the US was "reinventing itself" and becoming more open which is shaping the Indo-Pacific and creating multilateral bodies like the Quad.

"I would say a divided America or a divided country would obviously be a less effective player on the international scene... America is the premier power of our times...

“I would say America has been actually, in the last few years, quite effective abroad in a variety of ways...

“I would say America today is a power which is reinventing itself. I don't think it's a power which is declining," he said.

(With agency inputs)