New Delhi: The US embassy denied claims that American ambassador Eric Garcetti warned his colleagues about the potential impact of New Delhi's diplomatic conflict with Ottawa on India-US relations.
Earlier, The Politico claimed that Garcetti had also stated that the US may need to curtail its ties with Indian officials for an unspecified length of time.
"The US embassy rejects these reports." When contacted about the claim, a US embassy official said, "Ambassador Garcetti works hard every day to deepen the partnership between the people and governments of the United States and India."
"As his personal engagement and public schedule demonstrates, Ambassador Garcetti and the US Mission to India are working every day to advance the important, strategic, and consequential partnership we have with India," said a spokesperson.
Relations between India and Canada deteriorated following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations of "potential" participation of Indian operatives in the June assassination of Khalistani militant Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India dismissed the claims as "absurd" and "motivated," and removed a senior Canadian diplomat in retaliation for Ottawa's expulsion of an Indian official.
Later, it is said to have asked 41 of 62 Canadian diplomats to leave the country.
According to Politico, citing an unknown official, "Garcetti has told his in-country team that, as a result of the diplomatic spat with Canada, relations between India and the United States may worsen for a time."
Garcetti also stated that the US may need to curtail relations with Indian authorities for an unspecified length of time, according to the newspaper.
The White House said on Tuesday that Canada's allegations about India's participation in the separatist's death are "serious" and must be thoroughly probed.
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