NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — A high-level Indian government committee is in Washington, D.C. as part of an ongoing probe looking to uncover the plot behind the alleged effort to kill Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The visit comes amid heightening diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over separate allegations of state-sponsored killings of Khalistani leaders.
The committee will discuss the issue with U.S. authorities in light of a statement by the U.S. Justice Department regarding an alleged Indian intelligence officer who was involved in the plot to kill Pannun, who has dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship. The murder plot was foiled by the U.S. authorities in 2023, which brought international attention towards the fear of foreign interference.
The U.S. State Department confirmed the meeting, saying that the Indian committee is “actively investigating the case” and will meet their U.S. counterparts to review evidence gathered and discuss new developments in the American investigation.
India officially launched its investigation in November 2023, although public statements from the Indian government have been far and few between. The Indian embassy in Washington has not commented on this matter.
This diplomatic visit coincides with another disputed and widely publicized controversy between India and Canada over the murder of another man India has deemed a terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Indian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of killing the Sikh leader – a charge New Delhi denies. The dispute triggered several retaliatory diplomatic moves, including the expulsion of each other’s diplomats from both sides.
Pannun, the leader of the Sikhs for Justice Khalistan referendum movement, has long been a controversial figure in India. The Indian Government has his name on its watchlist, deeming him a terrorist. His appeal for Sikhs to separate themselves from the Indian state has received significant support among many in the Sikh diaspora, especially in Canada and the U.S.
The visit by the Indian committee to Washington is an important step in this ongoing probe that might determine the fallout for the U.S.-India relationship.
