US pressures India for quick accountability in Sikh separatist murder plot

US officials have urged India for prompt accountability following an investigation into an alleged Indian plot to assassinate a Sikh activist in the US.

The US Department of Justice has claimed that an Indian intelligence official directed the foiled murder of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist and dual citizen of the US and Canada. A recent visit by an Indian inquiry committee to Washington was intended to discuss India's own investigations into the matter, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

A US official, who remained unnamed, emphasized that the US government seeks "meaningful accountability" and hopes India can expedite its investigative process. Last week, an indictment revealed that Vikash Yadav, a former officer in India's Research and Analysis Wing, has been charged with directing the assassination plot against Pannun in New York City.

These allegations have strained US-India relations, particularly as the Biden administration views India as a crucial partner in countering China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region. A US official reiterated India's importance as a strategic ally while highlighting the need for trust and transparency in addressing such serious issues.

India classifies Sikh separatists as terrorists, with Pannun advocating for an independent state called Khalistan, a movement linked to violent insurgencies in the past. Pannun has accused Yadav of being a "mid-tier soldier" in a plot orchestrated by higher-ranking Indian officials.

While India announced its investigation into the allegations in November 2023, it has remained largely silent since then, continuing to navigate a diplomatic dispute with Canada over the June 2023 killing of another Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has alleged that India's government was involved in Nijjar's assassination, a claim India has denied in both cases.

By Vafa Guliyeva