Don’t want to get into hypotheticals: US on India asking Canada to reduce diplomats
As India gave a deadline to Canada to withdraw its diplomats from the country and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, in reply, said that the Canadian government wants to help Canadians in India on the ground, the United States said it is aware of the ongoing standoff over diplomatic staff levels but refused to get into the issue.
US State Department’s deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said he came across reports on the diplomatic staffing levels for the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi.
“But I don’t have anything further to offer on those reports and certainly don’t want to get into hypotheticals and take this process one step at a time. As it relates to our Indo-Pacific strategy and the focus that we continue to place on the region, that effort and that line of work is going to continue,” he said.
US has clarified its stance on the India-Canada diplomatic crisis stemmed from Trudeau’s allegations that India got Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar killed in Canada. Before external affairs minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, the US said it favoured an investigation into the allegations levelled by Canada and wanted India to cooperate in that. India reiterated that the allegations are baseless and Canada did not provide any specific information in connection to this. Canada, however, said it shared information with India many weeks ago.
The India-Canada diplomatic crisis puts the US in an awkward position for its interest in both countries.
‘Leave it to those two countries to talk…’
John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House, said on Tuesday the issue was discussed between Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. “We will certainly leave it to those two countries to talk about their bilateral relationship,” Kirby said. “We have been clear, these allegations are serious, they need to be fully investigated and of course, as we have said before, we urge India to participate actively in that investigation,” Kirby said.
India-Canada diplomatic crisis: Latest developments
At the onset of the crisis, the external affairs ministry said at present Canada has more diplomats present in India than India has in Canada. The ministry alleged interference by Canadian diplomats in India’s internal affairs. On that front, it came to the fore on Tuesday that India asked Canada to remove 41 of its 62 diplomats by October 10.
Trudeau said his government wants to be on the ground in India to help Canadian families. He reiterated that Canada is not looking to provoke India.
Canada foreign minister Melanie Joly said Canada is in “constant cooperation and dialogue with India” regarding the requested withdrawal of diplomats. “In moments of tensions — because indeed there are tensions between both our governments — more than ever it’s important that diplomats be on the ground and that’s why we believe in the importance of having a strong diplomatic footprint in India,” she said. “That being said, we are in ongoing conversations with the Indian government and we will continue to protect Canada,” she said emphasising that Canada wants private talks with India.
India has already banned visa services in Canada and accused Canada of harbouring terrorists despite being alerted several times.