'Urged India to cooperate': US on Canada's allegations regarding Nijjar killing

The US has said that it continues to be "deeply concerned" about the allegations referenced by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the Indian government's potential role in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in British Columbia.

The US urged the Indian government to cooperate in the Canadian investigation to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

"We continue to be deeply concerned about the allegations referenced by Prime Minister Trudeau and we remain in regular contact with our Canadian partners. And it’s critical that Canada’s investigation proceeds and the perpetrators be brought to justice," US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel, said.

"We also have publicly and privately urged the Indian government to cooperate in the Canadian investigation...," he added.

Patel made these remarks during the US State Department's daily press briefing on Tuesday.

Tensions flared between India and Canada last month following Trudeau's allegations of "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India angrily rejected the allegations as "absurd" and "motivated".

Nijjar was shot dead by two masked gunmen. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.

On Tuesday, Trudeau said Canada was not looking to "escalate" the situation with India and asserted that his government will continue to have "constructive relations" with New Delhi.

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Trudeau also said that it's important for Canada to have diplomats on the ground in India, amid a report by London-based Financial Times that New Delhi wants as many as 41 of 62 remaining Canadian diplomats out of the country, the Toronto Sun newspaper reported.

"Obviously, we're going through an extremely challenging time with India right now," Trudeau was quoted as saying by the Canadian newspaper.

He, however, did not confirm the FT report.

Asked if his government would retaliate by asking India to remove diplomats based in Canada, Trudeau insisted his government would try to keep working with New Delhi.

"We're not looking to escalate, as I've said, we're going to be doing the work that matters in continuing to have constructive relations with India through this extremely difficult time," Trudeau was quoted as saying by the state-run CBC News.

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