‘Foreign ops not part of govt policy’: Jaishankar in US
India has been accused by Canada of assassinating Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, on Canadian soil.
New York: New Delhi has told Canada that carrying out operations in another nation is not part of the policy of the government of India, but it will be open to looking at anything “specific and relevant” related to Canada’s allegations that Indian “agents” were linked to a killing in their country.
In his first comments about the allegations made last week by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, external affairs minister S Jaishankar also stressed that there was a broader context to the issue — an increase in Canada in organised crime related to secessionism, extremism and violence; threats against Indian diplomats and violence against diplomatic premises; and India “badgering” Canada and giving it a lot of information about its “organised crime leadership” as well as terrorists.
In a conversation with former US ambassador to India Kenneth Juster, when asked if he had a response to Canada’s allegations, Jaishankar said, “Yes, I do have a comment. I will share with you very frankly what we told the Canadians. One, we told the Canadians that this is not government of India (GOI) policy. Two, we told the Canadians, if you have something specific, if you have something relevant, let us know. We are open to looking at it.”
But Jaishankar added that it was important to get a complete picture. “You have to appreciate that in the last few years, Canada actually has seen a lot of organised crime relating to secessionist forces. Organised crime, extremism, violence, they are all very, very deeply mixed up.”
Jaishankar said, at a time when there is talk about specifics and information, it is India that has actually been “badgering” the Canadian side. “We have given them a lot of information about organised crime leadership which operates out of Canada. There are a large number of extradition requests. There are terrorist leaders who have been identified. There is an environment out there that is important to factor in if you have to understand what’s going on out there,” he said.
He said India’s concern has been that this environment had been “very permissive” due to “political reasons”.
“We have a situation where our diplomats are threatened, our consulates have been attacked and often comments are made interfering in our politics. And a lot of it is justified as saying that’s how democracies work,” Jaishankar said.
Asked whether India would cooperate if Canada provided specific pieces of evidence, Jaishankar replied: “If somebody gives me something specific, and it doesn’t have to be restricted to Canada but if there is an incident that’s an issue, as a government, I will look at it. Of course, I will look at it.”
As the floor opened up, a reporter asked the minister if Canada had given India documents, including evidence of intercepted diplomatic communication that Indian officials were aware of the attack to which Jaishankar said, “I have said that if somebody gives us specific or relevant information, we are prepared to look at it”.
Asked again if he had received those intercepted communications, “If I had, would I not be looking at it?” he replied.
Asked for his response to reports that intelligence was shared among Five Eyes nations (an intelligence network of US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) about the killing, and FBI’s reported warning to US Sikh leaders about credible threats they face, the minister said, “I am not part of the Five Eyes. I am certainly not part of the FBI. You are asking the wrong person.”
Last week, on the floor of the Canadian Parliament, Trudeau had said, “Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.” Indian authorities had designated Nijjar as a terrorist, and in its first reaction, the ministry of external affairs rubbished Canada’s allegations as absurd. There is a sense among Indian policymakers that the allegations are motivated by Trudeau’s domestic political calculus, dependence on extremist Sikh forces, and is a way to deflect charges of China’s alleged foreign interference in Canadian politics.
The allegation has complicated India’s deepening partnerships with the western bloc, given that Canada is both the US’s closest Nato ally and a member of G7 and the Five Eyes Alliance. American officials have said that they take the allegation seriously and would like the investigation to be completed and India to cooperate. Jaishankar heads to Washington DC later on Wednesday where the issue is expected to figure in high level conversations with his interlocutors.
Commenting on Jaishankar’s response, Avinash Paliwal, a scholar of Indian foreign policy at SOAS in London, said, “Jaishankar is engaging in a hard diplomatic tightrope act. To the international audience and India’s partners he is conveying caution, but to domestic audiences he’s signalling strength. This happens when one is caught in an awkward position of managing conservative ideologues at home and liberal allies abroad, both at increasing odds with each other.”
