India’s Foreign Minister, S Jaishankar, has expressed India’s willingness to investigate any specific information provided by Canada regarding the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. This statement comes in the wake of Canada’s recent announcement of an investigation into “credible allegations” linking the Indian state to the murder, a claim that India has vehemently denied.
At an event in New York prior to his address at the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar clarified India’s position. He stated that India had informed Canada that extrajudicial killings were not part of the Indian government’s policy and emphasized that Delhi had no involvement in the murder. He also emphasized India’s openness to examining any pertinent allegations related to the case.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was fatally shot outside a temple in British Columbia in June. He had been designated a terrorist by India in 2020, a charge vehemently denied by his supporters. India has consistently reacted strongly to demands by Sikh separatists in Western countries for Khalistan, a separate Sikh homeland. The Khalistan movement, once active in the 1980s with a violent insurgency in Punjab, has diminished in India but still finds support among some in the Sikh diaspora in countries such as Canada, Australia, and the UK.
Jaishankar also noted that India had shared significant information with Canada regarding organized crime and leadership associated with secessionist forces operating from within Canada. He stressed the importance of considering the broader context and the presence of organized crime, violence, and extremism intertwined with these secessionist forces.
The dispute escalated after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that Canada’s intelligence agencies were investigating potential involvement of “agents of the government of India” in Nijjar’s murder. In response, India expressed strong concerns about ongoing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada, accusing them of promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats. Both nations subsequently expelled one diplomat each, and India suspended visa services for Canadians, citing security concerns at its diplomatic missions.
Regarding the intelligence shared among the Five Eyes—an intelligence-sharing network comprising the US, Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—pertaining to Nijjar’s murder, Jaishankar clarified that he was not part of the network and was not privy to such information. The US expressed support for a full and fair investigation into Canada’s allegations and called for Indian cooperation in this matter.