India Launches Probe into US Warning on Sikh Leader Plot
India will launch a formal investigation into the security concerns raised by the United States regarding its links to a foiled plot to murder a Sikh separatist leader, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The investigation comes at a delicate time for both India and the Biden administration as they attempt to build closer ties in the face of an ascendant China. The White House had previously warned New Delhi about its involvement in the thwarted plot, treating the issue with "utmost seriousness" and raising it with India at the "senior-most levels." The investigation will be carried out by a panel set up on November 18, and India has vowed to take necessary follow-up action based on the findings. The US had voiced its concerns and provided details to India as early as April, with discussions on the matter taking place during the 2+2 dialogue on November 10. The foiled plot and US concerns were reported two months after Canada implicated Indian agents in the murder of another Sikh separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Vancouver. India has strongly rejected Canada's accusations, stating that it has not been provided with any "specific or relevant" information to investigate. The target of the foiled plot in the US, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, is a proponent of the decades-long demand for an independent Sikh homeland from India called Khalistan. This demand, which sparked a violent insurgency in the 1970s and 1980s, continues to be viewed with concern by New Delhi. India's high commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma, stated that New Delhi is cooperating with the US, providing "legally presentable" information. However, he emphasized the need for specific and relevant information from Ottawa to move forward with the investigation. The investigation will unfold amid efforts to strengthen ties between India and the United States, with both countries navigating geopolitical challenges and security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region.
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By- Sahiba Suri
By: Sahiba Suri
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