External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, in his latest remarks on ongoing India-Canada diplomatic tensions, reiterated that Ottawa did not provide "specific inputs" against the allegations as the United States shared with New Delhi. Jaishankar, who was addressing the Rotary Institute 2023 event in Bengaluru, emphasised that If any country, not just Canada, had raised concern and had provided inputs or some basis for that concern, India would have looked into it.
"This is what countries do. The point was when Americans brought up some issues and the two issues are not necessarily the same. When they brought up that issue the Americans told us some specific things," he said.
"What happens in international relations from time to time such challenges can arise. So we very sincerely have told the Canadians saying that look it's up to you, I mean your choice whether you would like us to pursue it, further, look into it or not," he added.
Why Canada and US raised concerns to India
It is worth mentioning Nijjar, an Indian-origin but Canadian citizen, was shot by unidentified men outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18. Nearly three months after the killing, Trudeau abruptly appeared in the Canadian Parliament and alleged India's involvement in the killing of the Sikh separatist leader. The issue was also raised by Trudeu when he met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
However, in the case of the US, federal prosecutors charged Nikhil Gupta, 52, with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurupatwant Singh Pannun. The US prosecutors informed a Manhattan court that authorities in the Czech Republic arrested and detained Gupta-- a claim that the Indian official vehemently rejected but raised "grave concerns" over the matter.
"Pakistan is an exceptional neighbour"
While answering India's relations with neighbouring nations, Jaishankar, who had given a befitting reply earlier on global stages, said there are always some differences between neighbours but Pakistan is an "exceptional one".
"I know there are some neighbouring relationships which are a problem, but I would suggest to you that the one with Pakistan is actually an exception... I would say each one of our neighbours today actually has a lot of good experiences and a lot of good to say about India. It's also natural with neighbours that there will be issues of difference. I think we should not expect that all our neighbours will agree with us on all issues every day...," he said.
"India will never give up"
On China, he said we would certainly like our relationship with China to be better than what it is today. But if things have taken a turn for the more difficult in the last three years, it's not because of us. It is because they have chosen not to observe the agreements on the border. But again, diplomacy is, however difficult your neighbours, however challenging they are, you never give up..."
