New Delhi: Responding to a "country should not cross the red mark" remarks by a top Biden official over the alleged "foiled" murder attempt of a Khalistani leader in the US, India on Monday said that New Delhi is investigating the "certain" information passed by America. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during a press conference in New Delhi, however, asserted New Delhi's national security interests are involved in that investigation.
The response from the Indian foreign minister came as US envoy Eric Garcetti during a podcast with ANI said that both nations have been working together in the investigation but emphasised that the countries should not cross the "red lines". "I think that's absolutely critical. For any of us, just abstractly, that has to be a red line. No government or government employee can be involved in the alleged assassination of one of your own citizens. That's just an unacceptable red line," Garcetti said in a pre-recorded podcast released by ANI on Sunday.
However, he acknowledged that New Delhi has been doing everything that the Biden administration asked during the course of the investigation. "I think, strongly, but so far, everything that's been asked of the Indian government has been done. And I would say vice versa. Whenever there are accusations (from) the other direction, we take that incredibly seriously," said the ambassador.
India's own security interest is involved: EAM
Meanwhile, reacting to Garcetti's statement, Jaishankar underscored that the US ambassador will say what he feels is the thinking or position of his government. "The position of my government is that in this particular case, there has been certain information provided to us which we are investigating," he said, adding that India's own security interest is involved in the matter.
"So, as and when we have something to say on the investigation we would be very glad to speak about it. At this point, beyond the fact that there is an investigation going on, we have nothing more to say," the external affairs minister said.
India has taken the matter very seriously with Russia: Jaishankar
To a question about Indians getting caught up in the Ukraine conflict after being taken to Russia on job promises, he said India has taken up the matter "very very strongly" with the Russian government. "We are trying to get all these people back to India safely," he said.
Last month, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that several Indians had been "duped" to work with the Russian Army and New Delhi had strongly taken up the matter with Moscow for their early release. He had appealed to Indian nationals to not get "swayed" by offers made by agents for support jobs with the Russian Army, saying it is fraught with danger and risk to life.
