India said it was ready on Tuesday to examine evidence presented by Canada, which accuses it of involvement in the killing of a Sikh leader near Vancouver, while repeating its criticism of Ottawa.

• Also read: India’s cyber attack on Ottawa Hospital in retaliation against Canada

• Also read: [EN IMAGES] Hundreds of Sikhs demonstrate across Canada against the Indian government

• Also read: Tensions with India: another Sikh activist killed in Canada

When asked whether India would study the evidence provided by Canada, the Indian diplomacy chief, who was visiting New York on the occasion of the UN General Assembly, assured that New Delhi would examine the evidence provided by any country.

“If there is a problematic incident and someone gives me specific information as the government, of course I will investigate it,” said Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Ottawa’s accusations, described as “absurd” by India, led to a major diplomatic crisis between the two countries, marked by the mutual expulsion of diplomats, and the temporary suspension of the processing of visa applications in Canada by the Indian government.

“We actually harassed the Canadian authorities, we gave them a lot of information about those responsible for organized crime operating from Canada,” the head of Indian diplomacy assured, referring to the Sikh independence movement advocating the creation of a state, “Khalistan”, in northern India.

“Our concerns simply relate to the fact that Canada is very permissive for political reasons,” he alleged.

“We are in a situation where our diplomats are being threatened, our consulates are being attacked,” he denounced.

Hundreds of Sikhs demonstrated on Monday against the Indian government in front of India’s diplomatic mission in Canada.

Canada is home to the world’s largest Sikh community outside India, with 770,000 Canadians claiming membership in 2021, or 2% of the country’s population.