New Delhi: India has been cooperating with the US investigation into a nexus of gangsters, drug peddlers, terrorists and gun runners in America with connections to the country, the Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma has said.
He clarified that Canada has not shared such actionable information to India with regards to its allegations of a potential link of New Delhi’s involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
On 18 September, Canada PM Justin Trudeau triggered a row after he claimed that his government is investigating “credible allegations” of a “potential link” between agents of the Indian government and the killing of Nijjar.
This led to a series of diplomatic lows, with the two countries expelling each other’s diplomats. On 19 October, Canada withdrew 41 diplomats from India, after New Delhi sought ‘parity’ in diplomatic presence as reported by ThePrint.
Speaking Sunday to CTV News, Verma asserted: “ The US side shared some inputs pertaining to nexus between organised criminals, gunrunners, terrorists and others. The inputs are a cause of concern for both countries.”
“And, they decided to take necessary follow up action. On its part, India takes such inputs seriously, since it impinges on our own national security interests as well. Issues in the context of US inputs are already being examined by relevant departments in India.”
Last week, the British daily Financial Times reported that the US foiled an assassination attempt on Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and issued a “diplomatic warning” to the Indian government over concerns it was involved in the plot.
The interviewer pushed Verma on whether such information was shared by Trudeau, to which Verma asserted that “there is no specific or relevant information for us to look into.”
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In a separate interview Monday with TAG TV, Verma urged the Canadian government to share any evidence on the killing of Nijjar, so that India can help Ottawa conclude its investigation.
“India is only asking for specific and relevant information so that we can help you [Canada]. We can help the Canadian investigators to reach their conclusion. Their conclusion to the extent that it will be viable for them to go for legal action,” Verma said.
“As we have always said, India is always ready to look into specific and relevant information shared by our Canadian friends and take it forward in a logical way, which is legally defensible in both the countries.”
Verma also described the areas where India and Canada share “convergences” and added that New Delhi is open for business relations with Ottawa.
“Trade is a convergence. Trade is something that brings us together, and I would suggest that our friends both in the Indo-Canadian community and the wider Canadian community take the advantage of the current economic growth of India, the current innovative growth of India and to trade in a way that is beneficial to both.”
Verma highlighted that there are “fundamentals” which are “strong enough” to focus on trade and investment between the two countries. In his pitch for Canadian investors and business people to continue to look at India as an investment destination, Verma called for Ottawa to send business delegations.
“India has never brought any regulatory hurdle for Canadian businesses to do business in India.In fact, we have facilitated the Canadian businesses sometimes over and above our other business relations…to those friends in the trade and investment sector please feel free to visit India, we welcome you with open arms” Verma explained.
“I would urge the Canadian authorities to restart Canadian business delegations to India because that is the fulcrum. Unless the business people meet with each other, business cannot be done,” he added.
(Edited by Tony Rai)