In A Meeting With Tulsi Gabbard, Rajnath Singh Urges US To Act Against Khalistani Terror Group SFJ And Its Leader Pannun

India has called on the United States (US) to take decisive action against the banned Khalistani terror group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and its leader, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who operates from American soil, reported NDTV.

The demand was raised during a high-level meeting in New Delhi, where Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard.

Pannun, a US-based lawyer, faces 104 criminal cases in India, including eight filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The Indian government has accused SFJ of anti-India activities, including issuing threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. 

During the meeting, Singh and Gabbard discussed defence cooperation and intelligence sharing, with a strong focus on counterterrorism efforts.

Gabbard, who is on a multi-nation Indo-Pacific tour, had earlier met with NSA Ajit Doval, where she was briefed on India’s concerns over anti-India elements operating from American soil. 

India has consistently urged the US, UK, and Canada to take firm action against Khalistani extremists using foreign soil to promote separatist agendas. 

The issue was previously discussed at the highest diplomatic level when Prime Minister Modi met former US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC last month. 

The two leaders pledged to expand cooperation on transnational crime, including targeting narco-terrorists, human traffickers, and arms smugglers.

However, when asked about the presence of Khalistani terror groups in the US, Trump avoided a direct response, merely stating that India and the US were working closely to combat terrorism.

These discussions come amid US and Canadian accusations that India has been involved in targeting Khalistani terrorists abroad.

Washington previously linked an ex-Indian intelligence officer to an alleged assassination plot against Pannun, while Canada’s former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian officials of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver.