NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met US secretary of state Antony Blinken in Washington.
“Good to be back here. And we, of course, had the prime minister here this summer. Thanks to the US for all the support to the G20 Summit,” Jaishankar said while appearing before the press along with Blinken.
The meeting comes amid serious diplomatic tensions between India and Canada stirred by the killing of a Khalistani terrorist.
Ahead of their meeting, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed confidence that Blinken would raise the matter with Jaishankar.
However, before the meeting, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller had refused to divulge what would be discussed in the meeting.
“I will not speak publicly about what Secretary Blinken will say in their meeting before he has a chance to say directly to his counterpart. But, we have consistently engaged with the Indian Government on this question, and I’ve urged them to cooperate, and that engagement and urge for them to cooperate will continue,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said, as per the news agency PTI, while responding to a question on the diplomatic standoff between India and Canada.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar held talks with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
Jaishankar arrived in the American capital from New York after attending the annual General Assembly meetings of the United Nations on Tuesday.
Though the agenda of the meeting is unclear, the latest diplomatic crisis between two of America’s friends, its traditional ally Canada and India, is expected to come up prominently during the talks.
While the meeting between the two top diplomats was scheduled much before the Canadian crisis broke out, the US has been urging India to cooperate in the Canadian investigation into the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia early this year.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian agents were behind Nijjar’s killing, a charge rejected by New Delhi as “absurd” and “motivated”.
The allegations also triggered a diplomatic spat between the two countries, with both of them expelling each other’s envoys.
(With inputs from agencies)
“Good to be back here. And we, of course, had the prime minister here this summer. Thanks to the US for all the support to the G20 Summit,” Jaishankar said while appearing before the press along with Blinken.
The meeting comes amid serious diplomatic tensions between India and Canada stirred by the killing of a Khalistani terrorist.
Ahead of their meeting, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed confidence that Blinken would raise the matter with Jaishankar.
However, before the meeting, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller had refused to divulge what would be discussed in the meeting.
“I will not speak publicly about what Secretary Blinken will say in their meeting before he has a chance to say directly to his counterpart. But, we have consistently engaged with the Indian Government on this question, and I’ve urged them to cooperate, and that engagement and urge for them to cooperate will continue,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said, as per the news agency PTI, while responding to a question on the diplomatic standoff between India and Canada.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar held talks with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
Jaishankar arrived in the American capital from New York after attending the annual General Assembly meetings of the United Nations on Tuesday.
Though the agenda of the meeting is unclear, the latest diplomatic crisis between two of America’s friends, its traditional ally Canada and India, is expected to come up prominently during the talks.
While the meeting between the two top diplomats was scheduled much before the Canadian crisis broke out, the US has been urging India to cooperate in the Canadian investigation into the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia early this year.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian agents were behind Nijjar’s killing, a charge rejected by New Delhi as “absurd” and “motivated”.
The allegations also triggered a diplomatic spat between the two countries, with both of them expelling each other’s envoys.
(With inputs from agencies)