Stand on Canada’s charges made clear: US ahead of Jaishankar-Blinken meet

Although officials from both sides are tight-lipped about the agenda of the meeting, the latest diplomatic crisis between two of America’s friends, its traditional ally Canada and India, is expected to come up prominently during the talks.

Ahead of the meeting, the United States said that it has already raised its concerns with New Delhi about Canada’s allegations against India over Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing and made clear its stand.

Encourage India to cooperate with Canadian probe: US

“I don’t want to preview the conversations he (Blinken) will have in that meeting (with Jaishankar) , but as we’ve made clear, we’ve raised this; we have engaged with our Indian counterparts on this and encouraged them to cooperate with the Canadian investigation, and we continue to encourage them to cooperate,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters.

Jaishankar and Blinken are expected to pose for pictures ahead of the meeting and are not expected to take any questions from the media. While the meeting between the two top diplomats was scheduled much before the Canadian crisis broke out, the US has been urging India to cooperate in the Canadian investigation into the killing of Nijjar in British Columbia early this year.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has alleged that the Indian government was behind the killing of Nijjar, 45, outside a gurdwara in Surrey in British Columbia on June 18. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020. India has rejected Trudeau’s allegations as "absurd" and "motivated" and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa's expulsion of an Indian official.

India has also asked Canada to crack down on terrorists and anti-India elements operating from its soil and suspended visa services for Canadians.

'Issue not discussed at Quad meet'

Miller said that the issue did not come up for discussion in New York during the Quad ministerial that involved foreign ministers of the US, India, Japan and Australia.

“It was a meeting of a number of countries and it did not come up in that meeting. But we have engaged with our Indian counterparts on this issue and urged them to fully cooperate with the Canadian investigation,” he said.

Jaishankar arrived in the American capital from New York after attending the annual General Assembly meetings of the United Nations on Tuesday. In addition to his meeting with Blinken, the external affairs minister is expected to have a series of meetings with senior officials of the Biden administration, review the progress made between the two countries after the historic State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June and talk about other regional and global issues. The minister is also expected to engage with the diaspora, think-tank community and interact with leaders from the corporate sector.

(With inputs from agencies)