US, Britain to maintain India ties despite Canada's claims

Indian officials accused of being involved in illegal acts in Canada, including murder

Canada's closest allies signalled they will continue to pursue stronger ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations that Indian diplomats secretly collected intelligence on Sikh separatists living in Canada, who were then threatened, extorted or killed.

The extraordinary claims, backed by statements from Canada's national police force, are the latest development in a dispute that began in 2023 when Mr Trudeau accused India of involvement in the murder of a Sikh activist in British Columbia.

Canada now alleges that Indian officials were involved in a much wider array of illegal activities on Canadian soil. It expelled six Indian diplomats on Oct 14 after India refused to waive their diplomatic immunity for questioning. India responded by ordering six Canadian diplomats to leave.

Mr Trudeau's allegations have the potential to undermine the public case for Western allies strengthening their relations with India, but both the British and US governments issued relatively muted statements on Oct 15 that suggested little change in their approach.

"We have made clear that the allegations are extremely serious and they need to be taken seriously, and we've wanted to see the government of India cooperate with Canada in its investigation," US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. "Obviously they have not chosen that path."

At the same time, he said that India continues to be "an incredibly strong partner of the United States", and that New Delhi is key to the broader US vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.