India has requested the U.S. to list a Sikh separatist group as a terrorist organisation, an Indian authorities source stated on Tuesday (March 18, 2025), greater than a 12 months after the U.S. stated it had foiled a plot with Indian hyperlinks to kill a frontrunner of the group within the U.S.
Washington went public concerning the plot in November 2023 and later charged a former Indian spy service officer with directing the plot towards Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a twin U.S.-Canada citizen and the overall counsel of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in an episode that examined rising India-U.S. friendship.
India denied any official connection to the plot, arrange a panel to probe Washington’s accusations and stated in January that the panel had advisable authorized motion towards an unnamed particular person.
India’s request to the U.S. to list SFJ as a terrorist group got here throughout talks between Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and visiting U.S. nationwide intelligence chiefTulsi Gabbard, stated the Indian authorities source, who declined to be recognized as the discussions had been confidential.
Indian media shops have additionally reported the request.
Formed in 2007, SFJ holds referendums to advocate for a separate state for Sikhs known as Khalistan in Hindu-majority India.
SFJ was labelled an “unlawful association” by India in 2019, citing its assist for extremist and secessionist actions, and Mr. Pannun was listed as an “individual terrorist” in 2020.
India has had a diplomatic dispute with Canada over the June 2023 killing of one other Sikh separatist there.
SFJ has rejected New Delhi’s accusations.
“Who is the terrorist? Is it SFJ, which is peacefully and democratically organising the Global Khalistan Referendum to liberate Punjab from Indian occupation?” Mr. Pannun stated in an announcement shared with Reuters on Tuesday (March 18, 2025), referring to the house state of Sikhs in India.
“Or is it (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi’s India, which engages in violent transnational repression and hires hitmen to assassinate Khalistan Referendum organisers?” he stated.
An Indian defence ministry spokesperson declined to remark. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson stated they didn’t have something to add past an announcement concerning the talks between Mr. Singh and Ms. Gabbard issued by India’s defence ministry on Monday (March 17, 2025), which talked about deepening safety ties however made no point out of SFJ.
Ms. Gabbard’s group and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence didn’t instantly reply to emails looking for remark.
At a geopolitics convention in New Delhi on Tuesday (March 18, 2025), Ms. Gabbard stated that in her journey she’d heard from her Indian counterparts “about the very serious concerns that you have here for your own security interests”, with out elaborating.
Published – March 18, 2025 06:34 pm IST
