US-India ties affected amid Nijjar killing row with Canada? Washington says…

US officials insisted on Thursday that ties with India would remain unaffected amid a brewing diplomatic crisis with Canada. The assertion came as the Ministry of External Affairs called for Canada to downsize its diplomatic staff and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insisted that Ottawa did not wish to ‘escalate the situation’. 

“The US Embassy dismisses these reports. Ambassador Garcetti is working hard every day to deepen the partnership between the people and governments of the United States and India. As his personal engagement and public schedule demonstrates, Ambassador Garcetti and the US Mission to India are working every day to advance the important, strategic, and consequential partnership we have with India,” said US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti.

Meanwhile External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters at a news conference on Thursday that the two countries are discussing “modalities on achieving" parity as to the levels of diplomatic representation.

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“On discussions on parity, given the much higher presence of diplomats or diplomatic presence here and their interference in our internal matters, we have sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence. Discussions are ongoing to achieve this. Given that Canadian diplomatic presence is higher, we would assume that there would be a reduction,” he said.

Ties between Canada and India have been strained since Trudeau insisted last month that there was ‘credible evidence’ linking Indian government agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader. Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar had been gunned down by unknown assailants in Surrey in June.

Following the assertion – dismissed as ‘absurd’ by India – both countries had expelled a senior diplomat each. India has also canceled visas for Canadians and more recently, called for the removal of 41 of its 62 diplomats from the country.

(With inputs from agencies)