USA-India arms deal was placed on “hold” to force Indian cooperation on foiled Sikh assassination
The US government blocked a $3-billion drone sale to India to ensure a “meaningful investigation” into the Indian State’s assassination conspiracy against New York lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun,
In a sign of the increasingly tense diplomatic relations between the two countries, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated (1.02.24) he had placed the deal on “hold”, until he was assured the arms deal will not get in the way of “accountability” of India, regarding its anti-Sikh transnational repression program.
The deal was initially announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 2023 visit to the White House, at the same time that the Indian Government’s conspiracy to kill Pannun was set in motion. In November 2023 the US Justice Department released an indictment confirming charges against an Indian national working directly with the Indian Government to orchestrate an assassination of a Sikh activist on US soil.
Indian national and noted trafficker Nikhil Gupta has been formally charged with conspiring to kill Pannun and is
currently in detention in the Czech Republic pending his deportation to the US.
Pannun leads the Sikhs For Justice Khalistan Referendum, a non-binding campaign taking place across multiple countries, offering Sikh diaspora the chance to vote for-or-against the creation of Khalistan (an
independent Sikh state), carved out of India. He is known for being vocal about many issues surrounding
the Khalistan movement, and was particularly key in giving insight into India’s assassination of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.
According to some Indian media reports earlier this week, a highly placed source in Washington said that “the purchase is stuck in the US Congress because of anger over the brazen attempt to assassinate Pannun. US representatives have frozen the legislative movement needed for proceeding with the sale”.
The proposed $3-billion deal will include 15 Sea Guardian drones for the Indian Navy and eight Sea Guardian drones for the Indian Air Force and Army each. Reports suggest other smaller acquisitions were also being held back, such as a proposal to buy six Boeing P-81 long-range maritime patrol aircraft.
This would aid India’s maritime safety and surveillance amid US concerns of growing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific. It is well known that the US sees India as key to its strategy of countering China’s growing assertiveness in Asia, as well as a viable trade partner, and therefore diplomatic relations between the two countries are important to the US.
However, these relations are threatened by the evidence of foreign interference by the Indian government in the US.
Senator Ben Cardin, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated in full on the situation:
“While I’m fully aware of the significance of this sale for U.S. national security and strategic interests, I have consistently conveyed my concerns regarding the timing of this sale to administration officials in light of the alleged murder-for-hire plot involving Indian officials to attempt to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil.
“I have been assured by the Administration that the Indian government is committed to thoroughly investigating the situation and fully cooperating with the U.S. Department of Justice investigation so that there is credible accountability in this case. As the Chairman of this committee, I fully intend to hold the Administration to these commitments.”
Much of the Sikh community has long spoken of western governments prioritizing diplomatic and trade relations with India over justice for Sikhs who have been the victims of transnational repression.
Whilst the UK government has seemed consistently reluctant to acknowledge the injustice faced by British Sikhs and the possible assassination of Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda, this case of US authorities acknowledging India’s transnational repression is welcome news to Sikh groups across the world.
Media inquiries- media@sikhpa.com.
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