S Jaishankar defined India’s proposition that he stated may apply to Canada as nicely (File)

New Delhi:

There is room for diplomacy to handle the diplomatic row between India and Canada, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated on Saturday because the ties between the 2 sides remained strained following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations of “potential” involvement of Indian brokers within the killing of a Khalistani separatist.

The exterior affairs minister stated either side have been in contact and hoped {that a} method could be discovered to resolve the row. At the identical time, he asserted that “sovereignty and sensitivity” can’t be one-way streets.

S Jaishankar was talking at an interactive session on the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.

“I feel that there is room for diplomacy here. I know that my counterpart in Canada has also expressed the same position. So, we have been in touch,” he stated.

“My hope certainly would be that we find a way…Sovereignty, sensitivity — these cannot be one-way streets. They may have their concerns. I have never ever with any country said that I am not willing to talk to them about their legitimate concerns,” he stated.

“But it cannot be that the conversation is completely dismissive of my concerns and my sensitivities,” he added.

The ties between India and Canada got here below extreme pressure following Trudeau’s allegations in September over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June within the Canadian city of Surrey.

Days after Trudeau’s allegations, India introduced quickly suspending the issuance of visas to Canadian residents and requested Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence within the nation to make sure parity.

Canada has already withdrawn 41 diplomats and their relations from India.

Mr Jaishankar defined India’s total proposition that he stated may apply to Canada as nicely.

“There are many countries where there is freedom of speech and expression including India. But that cannot be a license to advocate violence and intimidation or to propagate separatism, extremism and worse,” he stated.

“So the problem that we have faced is really that we have seen activities which have been justified in the name of freedoms,” he stated.

“Now, I have a very simple smell test for every country in the world – which is if you think that is right, would you like that to be done to you? And mostly I don’t get an answer,” he added.

The exterior affairs minister stated either side have been in contact.

“It is a conversation that has been going on for a long time and unfortunately, in this particular case, in Canada, events took a certain turn,” he stated.

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