India conveys concern to US on activities of pro-Khalistanis in Canada

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar gave message to Antony Blinken that a swift and strict action by the US against proKhalistan elements is a must.

- T. BRAJESH

The Indian and US ministers also focused on the Indo-Pacific amid China's aggressive agenda. The fifth India-US "2+2" Ministerial Dialogue held here on Friday saw New Delhi conveying its serious concerns to Washington over "the increasing activities of pro-Khalistani elements in Canada". During the meeting with his US counterpart Antony Blinken, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar flagged the increasing presence of pro-Khalistan incidences and members in North American country Canada. In another significant development, Jaishankar and Blinken discussed the strategy to deal with the abiding challenge for both the US and India-the growing aggression of China in the Indo-Pacific and other maritime regions including the South China Sea. The "2+2" ministerial dialogue also explored the ways to build progress already made in defence, diplomacy, strategic sphere and technology. The foreign and defence ministers from both India and US focused also on wars in Gaza and Ukraine and on how the terrorism continues to grow in the region.

The American delegation at the "2+2" ministerial dialogue talks was led by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh headed the Indian side. Diplomatic sources told The Daily Guardian that Jaishankar used the opportunity to draw the attention of the US side to China's aggressive agenda, increasing threat of terrorism in the region, and Ottawa's failure to rein in pro-Khalistan militants operating from Canadian soil.

"Jaishankar also suggested to the US counterpart that the Biden administration needs to be tough on such elements and it should also mount pressure on Canada to take action against pro-Khalistan elements active on its soil," a diplomatic source told TDG.