Very Serious About Building Closer Ties With India: Trudeau, Ten Days After Accusing Indian Agencies Of Carrying Out A Hit On Canadian Soil

Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, expressed his country's commitment to strengthening its relationship with India, despite the allegations over the Indian government's involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Trudeau acknowledged India's increasing global influence and emphasised the importance of continued engagement between Canada, its allies, and India.

This statement was made during a press conference held in Montreal, where Trudeau stressed the need for constructive and serious dialogue with India, given its growing importance on the world stage.

Trudeau highlighted India's status as a rising economic power and a significant player in geopolitics.

"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 told reporters.

However, Trudeau also emphasised the importance of upholding the rule of law. He stated that India must collaborate with Canada to ensure a thorough investigation and the acquisition of all pertinent facts regarding the matter at hand.

Trudeau has stated that he received assurances from the US regarding the allegations made about India's involvement in the murder of Nijjar.

He mentioned that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would be discussing these allegations with his Indian counterpart during a meeting in Washington DC.

However, the US state department readout of Jaishankar-Blinken meeting had no mention of the India-Canada diplomatic row.

It is worth noting that Trudeau has not yet presented any public evidence to support his claim regarding the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Following Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau's accusations of Indian involvement in the killing, India has suspended its visa services in Canada.

India also recently issued a travel advisory for its citizens and those planning to travel to Canada.

The advisory urges individuals to exercise utmost caution due to the increasing presence of anti-India activities, politically-condoned hate crimes, and criminal violence in the country.