<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Despite an ongoing diplomatic dispute, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated that his country is committed to strengthening ties with India.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>His most recent comments come at a time when relations between the two countries are at an all-time low, reports BBC.</div><div><br></div><div>Tensions rose when Trudeau announced on September 19 that Canada was examining plausible accusations that India was involved in the death of a Sikh separatist leader.</div><div><br></div><div>The claim was rejected as “absurd” by Delhi.</div><div><br></div><div>In June, Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside a temple in Canada.</div><div><br></div><div>Nijjar was vocal about the Khalistan movement.</div><div><br></div><div>On Thursday, Trudeau said it was essential to engage India "constructively and seriously."</div><div><br></div><div>"India is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player. And as we presented our Indo-Pacific strategy just last year, we're very serious about building closer ties with India," the National Post quoted him as saying.</div><div><br></div><div>Tensions between the two countries became apparent during the G20 conference in Delhi on September 9 when Trudeau skipped an official leaders' dinner, the BBC report said.</div><div><br></div><div>He had a brief meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but their body language was seen as "frosty" by experts, it added.</div><div><br></div><div>A few days later, Trudeau told the Canadian parliament that they were looking into possible allegations of Indian agents being involved in Nijjar's killing.</div><div><br></div><div>Both countries have since expelled a diplomat from each of the other. Last week, India also suspended visa services for Canadians, citing security concerns at its diplomatic missions in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Trudeau spoke about the significance of relations with India on Thursday, but emphasised that the murder inquiry would continue.</div><div><br></div><div>"At the same time, obviously, as a rule of law country, we need to emphasise that India needs to work with Canada to ensure that we get the full facts of this matter," he said.</div><div><br></div><div>India has insisted that it had no role in the murder, adding that Nijjar had been designated a terrorist by Delhi in 2020 — an allegation his supporters vehemently deny, the report also said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Indian government has frequently reacted harshly to demands for Khalistan, or a separate Sikh nation, made by Sikh separatists in Western countries.</div><div>The US, UK, and Australia have urged Delhi to aid in the inquiry but have refrained from criticising India, which they consider as a bulwark against China's development in Asia. UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div>