Washington: The United States has strongly denied reports suggesting that the diplomatic dispute between India and Canada, stemming from Justin Trudeau's allegations against the Narendra Modi government, will strain relations between New Delhi and Washington, DC.
The US embassy issued the denial following a report in the Washington-based publication Politico titled 'Why Biden's mum on the India-Canada spat.' The report cited an official stating that US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, had informed his team that India-US relations "could deteriorate temporarily." The report further indicated that Garcetti mentioned the possibility of the US "reducing its contacts with Indian officials for an unspecified period."
A statement from the US Embassy in India dismissed these reports, emphasizing Ambassador Garcetti's commitment to strengthening the partnership between the United States and India. The statement highlighted Ambassador Garcetti's extensive engagement and public schedule as evidence of the ongoing efforts to advance the strategic partnership between the two nations. The ongoing diplomatic standoff between New Delhi and Ottawa began when Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. India rejected these allegations as "absurd" and "motivated."
The Biden administration has maintained that the Canadian government's allegations must be thoroughly investigated. The matter was discussed during a meeting between India's External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. It was also a topic of conversation when Dr. S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House. The Washington Post previously reported that Canadian officials had sought public condemnation of Nijjar's murder from their allies, including the US, ahead of the G20 summit but found reluctance among these allies to do so.
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