The United States, in a statement on Tuesday, made it clear that Pakistan has the autonomy to align with any regional groupings but advised that such associations must “strictly adhere to international law and not violate the sovereignty of other nations.”

The US policy statement comes as Pakistan hosts the high-stakes Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad, featuring major players like Russia, China, India, Iran, and key Central Asian states.

During a press briefing, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasised the importance of compliance with global norms, stating, “The United States respects each country’s sovereign right to associating groupings of its own choosing.”

But “we will encourage every country to ensure that its participation in multilateral fora upholds and respects international law and reaffirms the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of all nations,” he added.

Miller also addressed the concerns raised by Pakistan at the UN Security Council last week regarding nuclear theft and proliferation in India. He stated, “We are aware of Pakistan’s request to the UN Security Council.

“We are committed to tracking, developing, and implementing effective policy responses to proliferation threats, and we will continue to work with our partners to shape international security.”

Pakistan’s statement came after reports of Indian police arresting three individuals in the Bihar state for illegally possessing 50 grams of radioactive californium worth 8.5 billion Indian rupees (over $100 million) in August, according to the Times of India.

In light of rising tensions between India and Canada, the briefing also touched on allegations regarding India’s alleged attempts to assassinate Sikh dissidents residing in North America.

Miller said Washington has been sharing its concerns with New Delhi and has held several meetings with Indian officials on this issue “at the seniormost levels.”

When asked to comment on the Canadian prime minister’s latest statement on Indian activities, Miller remarked, “We have made clear that the allegations are extremely serious, and they need to be taken seriously and we wanted to see the government of India cooperate with Canada in this investigation, obviously they have chosen an alternate path.”

He said the latest meeting between US and Indian officials was “a follow-up on conversations we have been having with the government of India at the seniormost levels over the past several months. They have told us that they are taking the allegations seriously and that the activities … do not represent government policy.”

Canada and India have expelled each other’s diplomats after the Canadian police accused Indian diplomats in Canada of using the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang for “involvement in homicides, extortions and other criminal acts of violence” in the country.

A request that India waive immunity for six diplomats so that they could be questioned about this was also made, The Wire reported on Tuesday.