Antony J Blinken, the Secretary of State, has mentioned that the US has been consulting, even coordinating, with Canada on its allegation linking the federal government of India with a killing on its soil, and desires the Canadian investigation to proceed, India to cooperate with the investigation, and the investigation to result in accountability.

The US, he added, was “extremely vigilant” about any situations of “alleged transnational repression”, and took it “very, very seriously”as a broader concern. While he mentioned it within the context of Canada’s allegation, the broader concern within the worldwide system he alluded to seems to be a reference to US criticism of China for its sample of transnational repression within the West.

Blinken made his first set of feedback on the difficulty at a press convention in New York on Friday on Canada’s allegation linking “agents” of the federal government of India to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a chosen terrorist and a Canadian citizen, on Canadian soil.ALSO READ: India yet to get info that backs Canada claim

Separately, in response to a set of questions from HT, the State Department, simply hours earlier than Blinken’s remarks, mentioned that the US views its relationship with India as “vitally important” however takes this concern “very seriously” and can defend its ideas and seek the advice of with its ally because it pursues regulation enforcement and diplomatic processes.

When requested about American engagement with Canada and India on the difficulty, and the way it squared with India’s want to play a extra distinguished function and US’s expectation of India being a democratic counterweight to China, Blinken mentioned that they had been deeply involved in regards to the allegations.

“We have been consulting throughout very closely with our Canadian colleagues – and not just consulting, coordinating with them – on this issue. And from our perspective, it is critical that the Canadian investigation proceeds, and it would be important that India works with the Canadians on this investigation. We want to see accountability, and it’s important that the investigation run its course and lead to that result,” he mentioned.

Blinken, like US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan earlier within the week, mentioned he wouldn’t characterise or communicate of diplomatic conversations however that US had been “engaged directly” with the Indian authorities. “And again, I think the most productive thing that can happen now is to see this investigation move forward, be completed. And we would hope that our Indian friends would cooperate with that investigation as well.”ALSO READ: ‘Want to work constructively with India’, says Justin Trudeau

Blinken then mentioned there was a broader concern concerned. “You have heard me speak to this. We are extremely vigilant about any instances of alleged transnational repression, something we take very, very seriously.”

He mentioned it was necessary for the worldwide system that any nation contemplating in partaking in such acts not accomplish that. The US administration and Congress has been extraordinarily essential of what it sees as China’s transnational repression, with the State Department terming it “especially pervasive, pronounced, and persistent”, significantly in opposition to “Uyghurs, Tibetans, members of other ethnic and religious minority groups, Hong Kongers, and PRC citizens and non-PRC citizens living abroad, who seek only to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms”.

On Thursday, HT requested the State Department a set of questions in regards to the nature of US-Canada session, American evaluation of the proof behind the allegation, India’s issues about Canada serving as a base for terrorism and extremism, and whether or not the allegation is resulting in a rethink within the administration’s method to India.

On Friday, a State Department spokesperson mentioned US is not going to touch upon the substance of personal diplomatic conversations nor on intelligence or regulation enforcement issues. “We are coordinating and consulting with Canada closely on the issue”.

The spokesperson added, “Our relationship with India remains vitally important, but we take this issue very seriously. Regardless of the country, we will defend our basic principles and consult closely with allies like Canada as they pursue their law enforcement and diplomatic processes.”