What UK Says On Canada's Allegations Against India On Khalistani Leader's Murder

Despite significant escalation in tensions between Canada and India over the alleged Indian government's involvement in a Sikh terrorist's murder, Britain will continue trade talks with New Delhi, Reuters reported citing a statement from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson.

The spokesperson said that the UK was in touch with Ottawa while stating that it will not have an impact on the trade talks between New Delhi and Britain.

"Work on the trade negotiations will continue as before. The Canadian authorities will now conduct their work and I'm not going to preempt them," the news agency quoted a spokesperson as saying.

He further stated, "When we have concerns about countries we are negotiating trade deals with, we will raise them directly with the government concerned. But with regards to the current negotiations with India, these are negotiations about a trade deal, and we're not looking to conflate them with other issues."

Canada and India have expelled a senior diplomat each after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the involvement of "agents of the Indian government" in the killing of a prominent Sikh separatist leader in Surrey in June, claims outrightly rejected by New Delhi as "absurd" and "motivated".

"Over the past number of weeks, 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," Trudeau said Monday in a speech to the House of Commons.

In his speech, Trudeau told the lawmakers that any involvement of a foreign government in killing a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is "an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty." "It is contrary to the fundamental rules by which free, open, and democratic societies conduct themselves," he said.

"As you would expect, we have been working closely and coordinating with our allies on this very serious matter," he added.

Meanwhile, the US and Australia have expressed deep concern over the allegations against India by Canada.