External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, following recent tensions between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
While the agenda remains undisclosed, it’s anticipated that the India-Canada diplomatic spat will be a major discussion point. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller refrained from detailing Blinken’s prospective dialogue with Jaishankar. However, he stated, “We have engaged with our Indian counterparts and encouraged them to cooperate with the Canadian investigation.”
The rendezvous between the diplomats, at the State Department’s Foggy Bottom headquarters, was prearranged prior to the Canada-centric controversy. The US continues to prompt India to assist in the Canadian probe into Nijjar’s murder in British Columbia earlier this year.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has controversially linked India to Nijjar’s assassination, occurring outside a Surrey gurdwara on June 18. Labelled a terrorist by India in 2020, Nijjar’s association brought stark reprisals. Dismissing Trudeau’s claims as “absurd” and “motivated”, India responded by expelling a senior Canadian diplomat, mirroring Canada’s similar action against an Indian official. India further suspended visa services for Canadians.
Miller confirmed that this issue wasn’t broached in the recent Quad ministerial involving the US, India, Japan, and Australia in New York.
Post the UN General Assembly meetings in New York, Jaishankar’s Washington trip will encompass discussions with top Biden administration officials. Their dialogue is poised to assess the advancements post PM Narendra Modi’s significant State Visit in June and explore further regional and global matters. Furthermore, Jaishankar’s itinerary includes engagements with the diaspora, think-tank circles, and corporate leaders.
