Biden raises Canadian Sikh separatist’s murder with Modi at G20

• Biden and other world leaders raised concerns with Modi over a Canadian Sikh separatist’s murder.
• The issue was brought up by several members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network.
• Including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

During the recent G20 summit, President Joe Biden and other world leaders expressed their concerns to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding Canada’s allegations of India’s involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

This issue was brought up by several members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Financial Times reported that President Biden and others voiced their concerns after Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged them to engage directly with Prime Minister Modi on the matter.

The White House has not yet provided an official response to the Financial Times report, but a spokesperson did mention that the United States is deeply concerned about the allegations.

India has firmly denied any official involvement in the killing and has described the claims as “absurd.” India’s foreign ministry also noted that Canada has not shared any specific information related to Nijjar’s murder.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was a vocal advocate for an independent Sikh homeland in India known as Khalistan.

He was designated as a “terrorist” by Indian authorities in July 2020. Nijjar was assassinated outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, in June while trying to organize an unofficial Sikh diaspora referendum for independence from India.

According to the Associated Press, the allegations of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s killing were based on various forms of intelligence, including human and surveillance intelligence, as well as signals intelligence related to Indian diplomats in Canada.

However, the source did not reveal which member of the Five Eyes alliance provided this intelligence or provide specific details from the intelligence.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) also reported on this intelligence and noted that, behind closed doors, no Indian officials had denied the allegations of evidence suggesting Indian government involvement in Nijjar’s death.

In response to these allegations, Canada and India each expelled a diplomat, escalating the dispute.

This situation has posed a diplomatic challenge for some Western countries, as Canada has historically been a strong ally, while countries like the United States seek to build closer ties with India to counter China’s influence in the Asia Pacific region.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated that there was no division between the US and Canada over Ottawa’s allegations against India regarding Nijjar’s killing.