New Delhi - Amid escalating tensions between India and Canada, the latter has endeavored to rally support from its Western allies to exert pressure on India.

Canada's closest allies, including the United States and Australia, have reportedly declined to issue a joint statement condemning India in the case of Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing. However, these countries have refrained from endorsing Canada's position.

The killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a sympathizer of the Khalistani movement, on June 18 was discreetly discussed among senior officials from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing nations, which include the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, in the weeks leading up to the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi in September. According to a report by the Washington Post, this matter was not publicly disclosed before the G20 Summit, as Western leaders considered it significant for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's global standing. A Western official, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to diplomatic sensitivities, shared this information.

In recent days, the India-Canada relationship has deteriorated significantly, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accusing India of being involved in the killing of Khalistani sympathizer Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an accusation that India promptly denied.

Tensions escalated when the Canadian Prime Minister addressed the House of Commons, stating that Canada has "credible allegations" linking the Indian government to Hardeep Singh Nijjar's death. Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh, was identified by India as a terrorist responsible for furthering the Khalistan movement in Canada and inciting anti-India activities.

Trudeau stated, "Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar." He added, "Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty. It is contrary to the fundamental principles by which free, open, and democratic societies conduct themselves."

In response, India has consistently maintained that these allegations are baseless. India's government, in addressing Canada's accusations, stated that they "seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern."

In 2020, Indian security agencies classified Nijjar as a terrorist, accusing him of aiding attacks in Punjab, a state with a significant Sikh population of approximately 16 million. In 2022, Indian authorities sought his extradition from Canada, linking him to the Khalistan Tiger Force and also implicating him in the murder of a Hindu priest in Punjab during the same year.