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U.S. President Joe Biden and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with top officials and CEOs from American and Indian companies at the White House in Washington, U.S. on June 23, 2023. This meeting was crucial as it sought to strengthen ties between the two nations. However, reports have emerged suggesting a potential threat to an influential Sikh separatist in the United States. The Financial Times reported that U.S. authorities intervened to prevent this plot and later issued a warning to India over their potential involvement in the matter.
The report did not confirm whether the plot was abandoned by the conspirators due to the warning or if the FBI actively thwarted the plan. Despite the lack of an official response from India’s foreign ministry or the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, tensions have been heightened following this revelation. This warning to India comes after Prime Minister Modi’s state visit to the U.S. in June, further complicating the delicate international relationship between the two countries.
Moreover, Canada recently accused Indian agents of being connected to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Vancouver. These allegations were labeled as “credible” and have undoubtedly strained India’s relations with the international community.
Amidst these growing tensions, U.S. prosecutors have reportedly filed a sealed indictment against at least one suspect in a New York district court. The target of the thwarted plot, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, declined to comment on whether he was warned by U.S. authorities about the threat but reiterated that he awaits the U.S. government’s response to the issue.
Pannun and the deceased Nijjar are known advocates of the Sikh separatist movement to create an independent Indian homeland named Khalistan. The development of these events has led to Canada and the United States collaborating closely on the intelligence they have gathered on Indian involvement in these cases.
In response to these critical revelations, the U.S. has shared details of the thwarted plot with its allies, bringing this international tension further into the spotlight as it unfolds. The situation between the U.S., India, and Canada remains fluid, with potential implications for their diplomatic relationships and global affairs.
