‘I’m not part of Five Eyes, FBI’: Jaishankar on sharing of intelligence over Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing | India News

NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing diplomatic row over the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, external affairs minister S Jaishankar has raised concerns over “organized crime linked to secessionist groups, violence, and extremism” in Canada. He also asserted that these issues have been allowed to persist due to political considerations in Canada.
During a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Jaishankar said, “over the past few years, Canada has witnessed a significant rise in organized crime associated with secessionist movements, along with instances of violence and extremism.These issues are intricately intertwined. As a matter of fact, we have been engaged in discussions concerning specific incidents and information related to these concerns.”

When asked about reports suggesting the Five Eyes group’s role in intelligence related to the killing of Nijjar and the FBI’s warning to US Sikh leaders of “credible threats”, Jaishankar said, “I am not part of The Five Eyes, I am certainly not part of the FBI. So I think you are asking the wrong person.”

The Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the US, and the UK.

Regarding prime minister Trudeau’s allegations, Jaishankar assured that the Indian side would take action if the Canadian side provided specific information concerning Khalistani leader Hardeep Nijjar’s killing.
Earlier, David Cohen, the US ambassador to Canada, said that it was “shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners” that led the Trudeau administration to make the claim of a potential link between “agents” of the Indian government and the killing of separatist Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
‘India-China relations in ‘abnormal state’ since Galwan clash’
Jaishankar has described the state of relations between India and China as “abnormal” since the 2020 Galwan clash, suggesting that this is a potentially long-term issue. Speaking during a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations on the topic of India-China relations, Jaishankar emphasized that when the two largest countries in the world experience such tension, it has repercussions for the international community.

Jaishankar pointed out that dealing with China often involves deciphering their motivations since they tend to keep their reasons for their actions ambiguous. He noted, “You know, one of the challenges in dealing with China is their reluctance to provide clear explanations for their actions. Consequently, we frequently find ourselves attempting to deduce their intentions. There is a significant level of ambiguity in their behavior.”
He went on to emphasize the difficulty of maintaining normal relations with a country that has violated agreements and acted as it has in recent years. “So, if you consider the past three years, our relationship is in an abnormal state,” Jaishankar added. “Contacts have been disrupted, official visits have been halted, and we are currently experiencing a high level of military tension. All of this has also had a negative impact on how China is perceived in India.”
(With inputs from agencies)
Watch EAM Jaishankar reacts to reports of intelligence shared amongst The Five Eyes about Nijjar’s killing