India-Canada Diplomatic Row: Justin Trudeau: Canada still committed to building closer ties with India amid diplomatic row | India News

NEW DELHI: Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said Canada is committed to building closer ties with India even though there’s ‘credible allegations’ of New Delhi’s involvement in Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar‘s killing.
“It is extremely important that Canada and its allies continue to engage with India constructively and seriously with India given its growing importance on the world stage,” he said at a press conference in Montreal on Thursday.

“India is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player. And as we presented with our Indo-Pacific strategy, just last year, we’re very serious about building closer ties with India,” Trudeau added.

The Canadian PM, however, said that India needs to work with Canada to ensure “we get the full facts” of the Nijjar killing matter. “At the same time, obviously, as a rule of law country, we need to emphasize that India needs to work with Canada to ensure that we get the full facts of this matter,” he mentioned.

“This is something that all democratic countries, all countries that respect the rule of law need to take seriously. We are moving forward in a thoughtful, responsible way anchored in the rule of law with all of our partners including in our approach to the Indian government,” he added.

Last week, Trudeau said in the Canadian Parliament that his government was probing ‘credible allegations’ that Indian agents were responsible for Nijjar’s killing in June earlier this year.
Responding strongly, India said that Trudeau’s unsubstantiated and absurd allegations were only meant to shift focus from Canada’s support to Khalistan terrorists.
Canada expelled Indian diplomat Pavan Kumar Rai, a 1997-batch IPS officer. India has suspended its visa services in Canada, following Trudeau’s allegations.

India-Canada ties have remained frosty for several years over widespread Khalistan extremism in Canada
Earlier this month, Trudeau met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
– With agency inputs