Following the US Justice Department's decision of charging 52-year-old Nikhil Gupta, who had worked with an Indian government employee for plotting to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a leader of Sikhs for Justice, by hiring a hit man, Canada sought more cooperation from India in an investigation of the murder of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
What did PM Trudeau say?
In context of the similar matter, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, "The news coming out of the United States further underscores what we've been talking about from the very beginning, which is that India needs to take this seriously."
Trudeau emphasised the necessity for collaboration, stating, "The Indian government needs to work with us to ensure that we're getting to the bottom of this."
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, on Wednesday, urged India to be more transparent in the ongoing murder investigation, emphasising the expectation of increased cooperation.
Both the US and Canada seek to strengthen ties with India to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific, but these allegations complicate those efforts. The prospect of reconciliation between New Delhi and Ottawa appears unlikely in the near term, with Canada's murder investigation ongoing and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi preparing for national elections by May.
