External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that the Canadian allegations with regard to the death of a Khalistani separatist was discussed during his meeting with the Secretary of State Tony Blinken a day earlier and noted that the two delegations came out "better informed" after the meeting.
Pro-Khalistan elements based in Canada have been luring gullible Sikh youth to the North American country by sponsoring their visa with the sole objective of using them to carry out their agenda on Canadian soil, sources said on Wednesday.
Canada's envoy to the United Nations, Robert Rae, during his address to world leaders at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday raised the issue of 'foreign interference' adding that the rules of state-to-state relations, cannot be bent for 'political expediency'.
According to intelligence sources, Singh is believed to be hiding in Pakistan and was a member of the pro-Khalistan terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International.
Tightening its noose around Canada-based 'designated individual terrorist' Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated a house and land of the self-styled general counsel of the outlawed Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) outfit in Punjab's Amritsar and the Union Territory of Chandigarh on Saturday, an official said.
Refusing to respond to questions on the evidence of Canadian allegations, Sullivan said he is not going to speak to either intelligence or law enforcement matters from this podium.
The latest diplomatic row between India and Canada will not impact bilateral military engagement and the Canadian Army will take part in the conclave of the Indo-Pacific army chiefs in Delhi next week, a senior Indian Army official said on Wednesday.
"Insofar as the US is concerned, certain inputs were given to us as part of our security cooperation with the United States. Those inputs were of concern to us because they (were) related to the nexus of organised crime, trafficking and other matters.
India has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to probe allegations relating to a conspiracy to kill a Sikh extremist on American soil.
The Indian envoy said that India was "absolutely" and "decidedly" not involved in the homicide, terming it a "motivated and absurd allegation."
Both leaders agreed to stay in contact as Sunak reaffirmed the UK position of respect for the rule of law after Canada's allegation of Indian involvement in the killing of a pro-Khalistan wanted terrorist.
Addressing the media on Friday, Trudeau also alleged that India violated the Vienna Convention as over 40 Canadian diplomats were shifted from India after New Delhi threatened to strip them of their diplomatic immunity.
Scotland Yard has arrested a man on suspicion of 'violent disorder' in connection with an attack on the Indian High Commission in London in March this year.
In the first information report (FIR), the cyber crime branch of the Ahmedabad police said that people from across the country have received Pannun's threat via a pre-recorded voice message sent from a foreign number.
The Sri Lankan foreign minister further added that he is "not surprised" by his comments as Trudeau comes out with "outrageous and substantiated allegations."
Days after an offensive video from a pro-Khalistan group threatening Hindus in Canada to leave the country went viral, top federal public safety officials and politicians have denounced the 'online hate video' and asserted that Hindus are 'safe and welcome'.
In light of the current environment where tensions have heightened, we are taking action to ensure the safety of our diplomats. With some diplomats having received threats on various social media platforms, Global Affairs Canada is assessing its staff complement in India, the high commission said.
A video by Khalistan supporters, dated July 2 posted on Twitter, showed the act of arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.
The accused have been identified as Rajpreet Singh, Virender Singh, Sachin Bhati, Arpit Dhankar and Susheel Pradhan, the police said.
Hitting out at Canada, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said it is necessary to call out things like violence, threats and intimidation against Indian diplomats and missions and wondered if this had happened to any other country would the world have taken it with equanimity.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that the Canadian allegations with regard to the death of a Khalistani separatist was discussed during his meeting with the Secretary of State Tony Blinken a day earlier and noted that the two delegations came out better informed after the meeting.
Over the years, Khalistani extremists were further "emboldened" and started "operating with impunity" from Canada.
Admitting for the first time, a top United States diplomat has confirmed that there was 'shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners' that had prompted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's offensive allegation about Indian agents' involvement in the killing of a Khalistani extremist on Canadian soil, according to a media report on Saturday.
The Khalistan movement leader is trying to provoke Hindu Canadians to react and divide the Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada, Arya said.
The spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said they are "coordinating and consulting" with Canada and also "engaging" with the Indian government.
The US on Wednesday favoured a thorough investigation into killing of a Khalistani separatist in Canada in June, two days after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations of a "potential" involvement of Indian government agents in the case kicked up a major diplomatic row between New Delhi and Ottawa.
A US expert has termed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claim of a "potential link" between Indian government agents and the killing of a Khalistani leader a "shameless and cynical action" and urged the United States not be part of it.
In July this year, Pannun and Nijjar were declared as designated terrorists under the provisions of the UAPA Act, along with seven other individuals.
The United States has urged India to cooperate with Canada in its investigations.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said Canada has shared with India evidence of "credible allegations" about the involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar many weeks ago.
'Can Trudeau's evidence hold up? If not, he's finished.'
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Thursday reiterated that there are "credible allegations" that should be taken "extremely seriously" as he urged the Government of India to work with his country to allow justice to follow its course in the killing of a Khalistani extremist leader.
The external affairs minister also said that India is likely to resume issuance of visas to Canadians if it sees progress in the safety of Indian diplomats in Canada.
In a strongly-worded advisory, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi referred to "threats" targeting Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community that oppose the "anti-India agenda", and asked Indian nationals to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada which have seen such incidents.
Australia has described Canada's allegations about India's involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist leader as 'concerning' and said Canberra is 'monitoring these developments closely' and has raised the issues with its Indian counterparts.
Sikh Federation UK, which has styled itself as one of the largest Sikh organisations based in the UK, said Avtar Singh was terminally ill with blood cancer. He was on a life support system for the last few days.
The Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami, who was touring Scotland this week was blocked from entering a gurdwara in the capital Glasgow by pro-Khalistan extremists.
India on Friday rejected Canada's attempt to 'portray' the withdrawal of 41 of Canadian diplomats from the country as a violation of international norms, and asserted that ensuring two-way diplomatic parity is fully consistent with the provisions of Vienna convention on diplomatic relations.
During the interview which will be aired on Sunday, Verma was asked why India was not cooperating with Canada in the investigation. To this, he said, '...even without an investigation being concluded, India was convicted'. "Is that the rule of law?" Verma asked.
'We have unfortunately created that kind of ecosystem in Canada where these people are very vocal, very violent, very aggressive, and they don't let anybody.... come out against them. They will bully, they will threaten, they will use every possible illegal means... to counter any sanity'