India has rejected the Canadian accusations as “absurd and politically motivated” but has been more accommodating of US requests on information and action.
For the initial time, the Canadian envoy, who still holds the title of High Commissioner, has publicly spoken about and connected the two suspected schemes: the assassination of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last June and the unsuccessful attempt to assassinate pro-Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US.
India dismissed the Canadian allegations as “absurd and politically driven” but has been more willing to comply with US demands for information and action.
The charges filed in the United States yesterday, as well as the indictment from November 29, 2023, provide a detailed picture of a complex plot originating from Delhi to target multiple locations in North America, including Canada and the US. MacKay told CBC News that when you combine the two indictments, evidence released, and comments from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, you get a clear understanding of the situation happening for over a year.
Describing it as a major strategic mistake by the Indian government, MacKay expressed disbelief that some Indian government agents could commit violent crimes in North America without consequences. That was a huge mistake in strategy. I believe there were strategic mistakes that resulted in the capture of these individuals – I mean both incidents in both Canada and the United States.
MacKay warned that the reputation of the “Indian brand” has been tarnished by the recent US indictment, stating that “serious red lines have been crossed.”
The US indictment accused Vikash Yadav, an Assistant Commandant in the CRPF and working with R&AW, of being the main conspirator in the Pannun assassination attempt. He has been added to the FBI’s list of most wanted list
Yadav was accused by the DoJ on Friday of being involved in a murder-for-hire scheme and money laundering related to the supposed Pannun murder conspiracy.
MacKay, viewed as a high-ranking diplomat in the Canadian foreign service, expressed that Canada’s main focus currently is ensuring public safety on the streets and holding those responsible for events in the country accountable. And I believe it will require a considerable amount of time to recover from this situation, based on the Indian government’s current response.
He stressed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication and working to reduce the negative impact of the diplomatic dispute on the people-to-people and business-to-business aspects of the relationship. That is definitely how the Canadian Government sees it. We are optimistic that India will cooperate in that regard. Innocent parties should not be forced to bear the consequences for this.
Regarding the Indian government’s reaction, he mentioned that New Delhi’s stance has been to reject and criticize Canada. He mentioned that improving diplomatic relations with Canada is not a top priority, and it will be a long time before things return to normal.
He said that India’s reaction towards Canada and the US may vary due to their different statuses as middle-power and superpower, respectively.
When asked about India’s democratic credentials, MacKay emphasized the importance of taking a comprehensive view of the country.
India is a significant nation, with the highest population in the world and the fifth largest economy. It has been a democracy since gaining independence. India is known for being a country that follows the rule of law, and Canada and other countries are interested in improving their relationships with India. And I believe that ultimately, due to being democracies and rule-of-law nations, our interests are aligned in the long run. However, the actions of the Indian government have crossed some significant boundaries. Canada has had to take the necessary action it has taken as a result.
He stated during the progress that accountability is necessary before rebuilding a stronger, more cooperative relationship with the government of India in the future. He stated that currently the conflict is only between the two governments, and innocent parties like friends, family, and businesses should not suffer as a result.
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