Amid the ongoing diplomatic tussle between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a group of hackers claiming to be Indian Cyber Force temporarily disabled the official website of Canadian army, The Telegraph, London, reported on Thursday.
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.
Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin were in Delhi for the fifth edition of the '2+2' dialogue.
Amardeep Singh, 22, a resident of Brampton, Surrey, and Abbotsford areas of Canada, has been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said Canada is 'very serious' about building closer ties with India as it is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player, but wants New Delhi to work with Ottawa to ensure that they get the full facts about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
"Indians will decide the fate of India, not the foreigners," Verma told the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent think-tank.
Weeks before Canada made an explosive allegation implicating Indian officials in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canadian officials sought public condemnation of the murder from their allies, including the United States, but were met with reluctance, The Washington Post reported.
The Canadian government and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have confirmed they are investigating a possible terror threat.
India on Wednesday advised all its nationals living in Canada and those contemplating travelling there to exercise "utmost caution" in view of growing anti-India activities and "politically-condoned" hate crimes as well as "criminal violence" in that country.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday that India's decision to revoke the diplomatic immunity of 41 Canadian diplomats is a violation of the Vienna Convention and it should worry all countries, hours after New Delhi rejected Ottawa's attempt to portray the implementation of parity as a violation of international norms.
According to the sources, when the charges are laid against the two men, police will reveal their role and that of the Indian government.
"I think there is a beginning of an understanding that they can't bluster their way through this and there is an openness to collaborating in a way that perhaps they were less open before," Trudeau told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
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.
Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whose killing led to a major diplomatic row between India and Canada, reached the North American country using a counterfeit passport and Canada did not take any action against him despite being informed that he faced over a dozen criminal cases of murder and other terrorist activities, sources said on Friday.
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of Sikh activist Nijjar, CTV News quoted a senior government source as saying.
Amid worsening bilateral ties in the wake of tit-for-tat expulsions over the alleged Indian involvement in the killing of a Khalistani leader on its soil, the Canadian government on Tuesday issued a travel advisory, asking his citizens to 'exercise a high degree of caution'.
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.
'We have a responsibility to defend the law, defend our citizens, and at the same time make sure that we conduct a thorough investigation and get to the truth'
Experts say Canada's allegations regarding the Indian government's involvement in the fatal shooting of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada 'could be most significant test of strength of US-India partnership since early 2000s'.
'India and Canada have almost 200 years of shared history and migrations. This won't be the last of our partnership.'
The US on Tuesday said it was "deeply concerned" about the allegations made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on India's involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Surrey, and urged New Delhi to "cooperate" with Ottawa in the investigation of the incident.
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.
'When it comes to India, I have mentioned it many times, I am in close contact with my counterpart, S Jaishankar, and we know this is a difficult moment in a relationship that spanned decades, so therefore I am confident that we will be able to get through this difficult period'
Over the years, Khalistani extremists were further "emboldened" and started "operating with impunity" from Canada.
He said that Canada recognises the impact that some of these measures may have and at the same time it's another reason why he placed such emphasis on the investigation that's taking place that they are able to move beyond credible intelligence to evidence, strong evidence of exactly what happened.
The Khalistan movement leader is trying to provoke Hindu Canadians to react and divide the Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada, Arya said.
Canada's allegations of India's involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist in Surrey that sparked a diplomatic row between the two nations are based on both human and signals intelligence and inputs from an ally from Ottawa's Five Eye intelligence network, a media report has said citing the Canadian government sources.
Sikhs have more in the way of domestic clout and electoral representation in Canada than they do in India. No politician in Ottawa can ignore the concerns of a community with this level of representation, notes Devangshu Datta.
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.
'My two daughters are in Canada and I am tensed. They have gone there to study. Governments of both countries should find a solution'
India has constituted a probe team to investigate allegations relating to the foiled plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh extremist and known to be an American and Canadian citizen.
India's high commission in Canada said on Wednesday that the country's officials will resume processing some types of visa applications for Canadians applying from across the country as well as abroad.
A group of eminent Indian-Americans has condemned the brazen hateful comments and a hostile environment against Hindus in Canada and asked Ottawa not to mix freedom of expression with freedom for terror and endorse hate crimes by being silent on the issue.
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.
Nijjar was a close associate of Gurdeep Singh alias Deepa Heranwala, who was involved in the killing of around 200 people in Punjab during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
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'.
At least nine separatist organisations supporting terror groups have their bases in Canada and despite multiple deportation requests Ottawa has taken no action against those involved in heinous crimes, including the killing of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, officials in New Delhi said on Tuesday.
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.
The Canadian high commissioner to India was summoned to the ministry of external affairs and informed about the decision to expel the senior Canadian diplomat.
'In today's world, it is difficult for public pressure to work against a country like India.'
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