VIDEO: FM Jaishankar says India ready to look into specific info' on Nijjar's killing

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the foreign minister of India, stated on Tuesday that his country has informed Canada that it was willing to look into any "specific" or "relevant" evidence regarding the murder of Khalistani Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Ottawa had reliable intelligence connecting Indian agents to the assassination. 

This statement sparked an outraged response from New Delhi, which rejected the claim.

Jaishankar provided specifics on India's diplomatic activities in answer to questions about the claims at a Council on Foreign Relations event in New York.

"One, we told the Canadians that this is not the government of India's policy," he said. "Two, we told the Canadians saying that look, if you have something specific, if you have something relevant, you know, let us know - we are open to looking at it."

India this week halted the issuance of new visas to Canadians and requested that Ottawa scale back its diplomatic representation there, citing a deteriorating security climate.

India had been "badgering the Canadians" about its claims that organised criminals are based there, a reference to like Nijjar, he said, adding that India had made "a large number of extradition requests."

"The picture is not complete without the context," he added. "You also have to appreciate that in the last few years, Canada actually has seen a lot of organised crime, you know, relating to, you know, the secessionist forces, organised crime, violence, extremism, they're all very, very deeply mixed up."

The claims have drawn the cautious concern of Canada's allies, including the US, who have encouraged India to assist Canada with its inquiry.

The United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom make up the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which the US ambassador to Canada said had gathered some information on the case.