Comply with Canada's legal process: Five Eyes to India

New Delhi: Even as the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand - the other members of Five Eyes intelligence alliance - asked India to comply with Canada's legal process in the Nijjar murder case, Ottawa has curiously neither initiated any legal proceedings against 'Indian agents' nor shared any document or evidence with New Delhi, people in the know said.

Despite this, the other members of the Five Eyes have gone ahead in asking India to follow Canada's judicial process. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has yet to file a charge sheet in the case and when the Canadian NSA met his Indian counterpart in Singapore over the last weekend, he merely shared the names of six Indian diplomats including the high commissioner, alleging them as agents, a source said. The remarks by other members of Five Eyes therefore does not have any basis, the source said.

Serious developments: UK
The UK said India's cooperation with Canada's legal process is the right next step over the "serious developments". "We are in contact with our Canadian partners about the serious developments outlined in the independent investigations in Canada. The UK has full confidence in Canada's judicial system. Respect for sovereignty and the rule of law is essential. The government of India's cooperation with Canada's legal process is the right next step," said an FCDO spokesperson. The statement follows a phone call between British PM Keir Starmer and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on Tuesday night.

Allegations Serious: US
The US has alleged that India is not cooperating with Canada on the latter's probe into the killing of Nijjar. "When it comes to the Canadian matter, we have made clear that the allegations are extremely serious and they need to be taken seriously. We wanted to see the government of India cooperate with Canada in its investigation. Obviously, they have not chosen that path," said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Nuanced Position by Oz, Kiwis
The statements by Australia and New Zealand have been nuanced. Australia's foreign affairs department said: " Our position of principle is that the sovereignty of all countries should be respected and that the rule of law should be respected." Australian PM Anthony Albanese has declined to answer queries on the row. New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters noted he would let the judicial processes unfold, in a statement that did not mention India.