An Indian committee investigating US allegations of an Indian government employee's alleged role in a foiled plot to kill a Khalistani separatist on American soil met Tuesday with counterparts to share their findings, and the US said the presence of the team in Washington D.C reflected the seriousness with which New Delhi was taking the case.
The US further said that it had pushed India to treat Canadian allegations about the killing of a Khalistani separatist but New Delhi had "not chosen that path."
The US, in an indictment filed in a New York court in 2023, alleged that an Indian businessman had tried to plan an attempt on the life of a Khalistan separatist — Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, though the businessman was not named in the court filing — at the behest of an Indian Central government employee.
The businessman, Nikhil Gupta, is under US custody and is awaiting trial.
India has constituted an inquiry committee on the allegations.
"The fact that they sent an inquiry committee here, I think, demonstrates that they are taking this seriously," said John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council in a news briefing.
"It is something they absolutely need to take seriously."
"I don't have a readout on the meeting yet," Mathew Miller, the US State Department Spokesperson said.
The meeting was here as a follow-up on conversations that we have been having with the Indian government at the senior-most levels over the past several months. They have told us that they are taking the allegations seriously, that the activities contained in the DOJ (Department of Justice) indictment do not represent government policy.
Miller further allowed that the investigation does not compromise the general mutual relationship between the two contestants.
"India remains an extremely strong partner of the US. We work together on a whole number of matters, from our shared vision for a free, open, prosperous Indo-Pacific. And when we have concerns, we have a relationship where we can take those concerns to them and have very frank, candid conversations about those concerns."
To discuss their active investigation into the matter, for us to update them on our active investigation into the matter, he said, in regard to Tuesday's meeting.
He declined to say more about India-Canada tensions.
We have made it clear that these are very serious allegations, serious, and they need to be taken seriously, Miller said in regard to the Canada allegations that on Monday precipitated the expulsion of diplomats by New Delhi and Ottawa.
"And we wanted to see the Indian government cooperate with Canada in its investigation. Obviously, they have not chosen that path."
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