US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, has reportedly cautioned the State Department that the diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Washington DC may escalate further due to the ongoing diplomatic standoff between India and Canada, according to Politico, citing high-ranking US officials.
Garcetti is said to have recommended that his in-country team limit communication with Indian officials for an unspecified duration.
However, a spokesperson from the State Department, when asked to comment on this, emphasized that the USA’s relationship with India is “an important, strategic, and consequential partnership.”
The spokesperson also added that “Ambassador Garcetti is a champion of our strong partnership with the Indian people and the Indian government.”
The Biden administration appears to be handling the matter cautiously, as top US officials have been encouraging both Canada and India to resolve the issue through bilateral means.
“Let these two countries speak to their bilateral relations,” stated National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby earlier this week. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had urged India to cooperate with Canada, while State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller mentioned that the US was engaged in discussions with partners from both countries.
On September 28, India’s Minister for External Affairs (MEA), S. Jaishankar, met with Blinken in Washington DC, during which the two diplomats discussed the ongoing dispute between India and Canada.
Speaking at a discussion organized by the Hudson Institute on September 29, Jaishankar confirmed that he had addressed the row with Canada during his meetings with Jake Sullivan and Tony Blinken, expressing hope that these discussions had led to better-informed perspectives on both sides.
Post Your Comments