In a yr which witnessed India’s relationship with Canada marked and marred by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stating within the House of Commons there have been “credible allegations” of a possible hyperlink between Indian brokers and the killing of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma stated, throughout the course of an interview to HT in Toronto, that India’s method to this situation “always been collaborative” however the core situation was that of the “unfriendly” posture of Canada in permitting its soil for use for secessionism.

Q: Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau just lately, in an interview, talked about how there are “tonal shifts” in the best way India could also be approaching the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Is there higher collaboration on this specific file?

A: I’m not going to touch upon the Prime Minister’s feedback. That’s neither acceptable nor am I knowledgeable sufficient to speak about it. But in the event you take a look at our personal method in direction of resolving this situation, it has at all times been collaborative. What now we have been saying proper from the start is that until you share one thing particular and related with us, what do we glance into? How will we provide help to? So our method proper from the start was to take care of all the situation by means of diplomatic channels, however on the identical time, to have the knowledge which might be related to this function and which might be particular to this function.

Q: Now, clearly there’s a excessive stage inquiry which is wanting into the American case. You are conscious of what that indictment states. If a connection is discovered by the inquiry, wouldn’t it additionally look into the Canadian case?

A: Yes, the very fact is that there’s a High Level Enquiry Committee set as much as look into the problems introduced up as contents of the indictment within the US. While I’m not competent to talk on what is occurring between US and India, I can refer you to what the spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs stated earlier – we might await selections by the High Level Enquiry Committee for following up.

Q: Follow what up?

A: Follow up on the conclusions reached by the High Level Enquiry Committee.

Q: And that will additionally embody Canada?

A: We shall await conclusions arrived at by the High Level Enquiry Committee.

Q: You’ve been right here a yr. It’s been fairly a whiplash final yr in some ways. Where is the connection now? I imply is there any positivity, any constructive momentum left within the relationship?

A: If you take a look at our commerce relationship, that’s doing very nicely. Investment is on a constructive monitor. If you take a look at the people-to-people relationship, once more a constructive monitor. If you take a look at new Indian immigrants coming to Canada, completely on constructive monitor. So, I might say there may be extra positivity than one situation which has been not so snug with each side. I don’t see it as a as a relationship which is marked by negativity. It’s a relationship which has bought a lot of the components as constructive.

Q: Diplomatic work in Canada has additionally been impacted over the previous couple of months. You can’t even go to a grocery retailer and routine points like consular camps at the moment are being disrupted. How is the Canadian authorities reacting?

A: The Canadian facet is nicely conscious of our considerations in Canada, which is giving house to terrorists and extremists. No nation on the planet, which is a accountable member of the United Nations, ought to permit its soil for use by its personal residents to dismember a pleasant nation. Secessionist calls popping out of Canada, within the context of India, is actually one thing which is unfriendly. So until that core situation is tackled, I don’t assume we’ll be happy diplomatically or politically.

And, it’s not an enormous ask. It’s an as which each nation on the planet, each accountable international participant on the planet, has dedicated to.

Q: So, if that’s the core situation, then what about points just like the EPTA, as an illustration. Will that every one hinge on that core situation?

A: We have by no means linked the 2. It was the Canadian facet which paused the negotiations on EPTA, at a time once they had been at a reasonably superior stage. Therefore, so far as India is worried, now we have not linked commerce points with the allegation.

Q: In a way then, you’d stay up for the decision of the Nijjar case in Canada?

A: Absolutely. There is against the law dedicated and, in response to the Canadian legal guidelines, no matter is the authorized course of, that ought to happen. And then, we’ll take a look at the result.

Q: India has at all times maintained that there was no connection between India and this case.

A: No, now we have at all times maintained that. But on the identical time, now we have additionally stated that we’re able to look into any particular and related info, if shared with us.

Q: Congratulations, you’ve accomplished one yr and I’m certain issues can’t worsen…

A: I’m typically a constructive individual and I’m taking a look at extra constructive issues to come back out of our relationship, together with the decision of this nagging situation.