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The international stage has witnessed a complex and escalating diplomatic standoff between India, Canada, and the United States, stemming from allegations of Indian involvement in the assassination of a Khalistani separatist in Canada and a thwarted plot to kill another in the US. The saga began with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claims that Indian officials were involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistani leader in Canada, in June 2023. This accusation sparked a fierce diplomatic backlash, with India vehemently rejecting Trudeau's claims as "absurd and motivated."
However, the controversy took a more serious turn when the US unveiled its own indictment alleging a planned assassination of another Khalistani separatist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, on American soil. The US Department of Justice (DoJ) accused Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national extradited to the US in June, of collaborating with an Indian government employee to hire an assassin to kill Pannun in New York City. Pannun, designated a terrorist by India, is the leader of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) organization and holds dual citizenship in the US and Canada.
The US indictment further suggested a possible link between the alleged plot targeting Pannun and the killing of Nijjar. This revelation sparked concern among US and Canadian intelligence agencies, leading to the sharing of information about the Nijjar killing and the alleged Pannun assassination plot within the Five Eyes Alliance, a group of intelligence-sharing nations that includes the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The shared information raised serious concerns about a possible pattern of behavior by India.
In response to the US indictment, India announced the formation of a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the alleged activities of the Indian government employee implicated in the Pannun assassination plot. This committee is currently visiting the US to discuss the case with US authorities, gather information, and receive updates on the ongoing US investigation. The visit comes at a critical juncture, as tensions remain high between India and Canada over the Nijjar assassination. While Canada has yet to share any evidence publicly, it has indicated that it will do so "in due course."
The US, meanwhile, has acknowledged the Indian investigation and expressed its willingness to cooperate with Indian authorities. This ongoing investigation, coupled with the diplomatic dialogue between the three nations, underscores the seriousness of the accusations and the potential ramifications for India's international relations. As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the US and Canada will respond to the findings and whether the alleged involvement of Indian officials in these incidents will lead to a further deterioration in relations between the countries.
Source: Pannun ‘murder plot’: Indian enquiry committee visits the US