What S Jaishankar said on Canada at UNGA in 5 points

Amid the ongoing diplomatic tension between India and Canada, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressed concerns about organised crime, secessionist forces, violence, and extremism in Canada during a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Tuesday (September 26)

He also spoke at the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

India and Canada had a heated dispute after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau made strong claims that Indian agents might have played a role in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Nijjar in British Columbia on June 18 this year.

Jaishankar's remarks

1. When asked about reports regarding intelligence sharing concerning a recent killing and FBI warnings to Sikh leaders in the US, Jaishankar responded, "I'm not part of The Five Eyes, and I'm certainly not part of the FBI. So, I think you're asking the wrong person."

The "Five Eyes" is a group of countries, including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, that work together on intelligence gathering, including surveillance and signals intelligence (SIGINT).

2. In another response to the allegation, Jaishankar stated that India has requested Canada to share any "specific" information if the Canadian government possesses it.

3. Jaishankar pointed out that Canada has experienced a rise in organized crime related to secessionist groups, along with violence and extremism in recent years.

4. He noted that these incidents have been allowed to happen for political reasons.

5. In his remarks aimed at those who make rules, Jaishankar also mentioned that respecting a country's borders and not meddling in its internal matters should not be selective.

During the General Assembly, Mr. Jaishankar advocated strongly for India to have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, which is the highest decision-making body.

He highlighted India's efforts in representing the Global South during the G20 Summit in Delhi and the inclusion of the African Union in the powerful bloc.

He suggested that this important development should motivate the United Nations, an older organization, to modernize the Security Council.

On Friday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar started a nine-day trip to the United States. His main purposes for this visit are to participate in the yearly UNGA session in New York and to host a special event related to the Global South.

After concluding his commitments related to the 78th UNGA, S. Jaishankar will travel to Washington DC from September 27 to September 30 for one-on-one meetings with American officials.