'Looking forward to findings of Indian govt-appointed panel': US Deputy State Secy Richard Verma on 'Pannun murder plot'

US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma on Tuesday said that America is looking forward to the findings of the Indian government-appointed committee of inquiry and will stay engaged with New Delhi on the issue of the alleged bid to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States.

Addressing an event titled ‘The Long View from DC: The India-US Partnership’ hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in Delhi, Verma said, “I know we raised our concerns with the Government of India. There is a committee of inquiry looking into the matter, and we will stay engaged with the government and look forward to their findings. And they’ve taken it very seriously, and we’re grateful for that.”

Verma’s statement comes after the US Justice Department unsealed an indictment against an Indian national for his alleged involvement in the foiled plot to assassinate Pannun.

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In November, the US Justice Department asserted that an unnamed Indian government official (referred to as CC-1) allegedly enlisted Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, to arrange a hitman for an assassination plot, as revealed in a federal court filing in Manhattan.

Prosecutors disclosed that US authorities thwarted the attempt. Gupta, currently detained in the Czech Republic, faces charges of murder-for-hire, carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.

Verma underscored the enduring bonds between India and the US. He reminisced about Mahatma Gandhi’s correspondence with then-US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and highlighted Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspiration drawn from Gandhi’s writings.

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Verma emphasised three key themes linking the two nations: transcending the burdens of colonialism, advocating for social justice and equality, and striving for a robust, inclusive democratic framework governed by the people. He described these principles as the cornerstone of the bilateral relationship.

Verma also celebrated the burgeoning ties between India and the US, noting their evolution from negligible defence transactions to significant defense partnerships and comprehensive joint exercises across various domains. He lauded the bilateral trade growth, highlighting a doubling in trade volume over the past decade.

Speaking about the Indian diaspora in the US, he said, “People-to-people ties, America boasts well over 4 million Americans of Indian descent, including a vice president and a leading presidential candidate. Last year, the US in this embassy issued over 1 million visas and now there are nearly 270,000 Indian students in the United States. I could go on and on through all the categories of our work together. But it’s safe to say we have done well. It has not been perfect. But I say this with all humility. It has been transformative and impactful and it has brought greater peace and stability to the Indo-Pacific region”

He noted that the world is better off when the US and India are cooperating fully and strongly together on the world stage.

Calling India and the US “post-colonial democratic powers governed by a constitutional framework”, Verma said that the two nations aspire for equality, social inclusion, and racial and minority rights and other areas.

“Our security cooperation will become even more important in the years ahead. The threats we face are real. But building our collective capabilities is increasing our sharing of information and improving maritime domain awareness and interoperability for example, we will ensure India continues to be a provider of net security across the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. And the US will continue to be at Pacific power for the decades ahead, security cooperation,” he added.

Verma also held a meeting with Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. The two leaders held discussions on the trade ties shared by the two nations.

Sharing pictures from the meeting, Goyal, in a post on social media platform X, wrote, “Delighted to meet Richard R. Verma, US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources.”