NSA Ajit Doval And Jake Sullivan Address Indo-Pacific Stability As US Sanctions Indian Firms Over Russia Ties

Shortly after the Indian Army confirmed that disengagement between Indian and Chinese forces had been completed at two key friction points along their shared border, United States (US) National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan and India’s NSA Ajit Doval engaged in a telephone conversation.

They “discussed regional security developments, underscoring the need for further efforts to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region and globally.”

The call took place against the backdrop of recent US sanctions on 19 Indian companies for allegedly aiding Russia’s efforts in Ukraine.

This conversation also marked the first public interaction between the two NSAs following the latest developments in an American investigation into a failed assassination attempt against a Sikh separatist and Canada’s accusations implicating the Indian government, including Home Minister Amit Shah, in acts against another separatist on Canadian soil.

On Thursday, the US State Department expressed concern over Canada’s accusations involving Shah. “The allegations made by the government of Canada are concerning, and we will continue to consult with the Canadian government about those allegations,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters, as quoted by PTI

Approximately two weeks earlier, a US court named a former Indian intelligence officer as an alleged co-conspirator in the unsuccessful plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-based Sikh separatist.

While an Indian investigative team recently visited the US to coordinate with American authorities on the Pannun case, India has dismissed Canada’s claims, labeling them “completely unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations.”

The Doval-Sullivan conversation was publicized in a White House statement, on 30 October, released just days before the upcoming US elections on 5 November. 

The statement confirmed that “US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke by phone today with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.” It added that the two leaders “discussed regional security developments, underscoring the need for further efforts to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region and globally.”

“They welcomed progress in the bilateral partnership, including through the upcoming Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) Intersessional and Indian Ocean Dialogue. They also discussed further opportunities for closer collaboration in key domains, including clean energy supply chains and defense cooperation,” it further said.

Doval, notably, did not accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his September visit to the US, with sources attributing this to domestic commitments, including upcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Incidentally, the Indian NSA was among those summoned days earlier by the US court hearing the lawsuit filed by Pannun seeking damages for the alleged assassination plot.

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