 "Nikhil Gupta’s testimony will be watched not just by US but others as well")
Indian national Nikhil Gupta, 52, was extradited to the United States Friday from the Czech Republic following his arrest in Prague a year ago. Many countries will be keeping a close watch over the proceedings as India has complicated relations with countries such as Canada, Australia, Pakistan, Qatar, and Germany among others over the issue of alleged ‘spying’ and ‘interfering’ in the internal process of the country including the attempt of killing Khalistani separatists and their citizens.
US accuses India of plotting to kill Pannun
In November, US authorities said an Indian government official had directed the plot in the attempted murder of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent Sikh separatist leader, who is a U.S. and Canadian citizen. Gupta is accused of involvement in that plot.
According to an indictment, Gupta was recruited in May by an unidentified Indian government employee to orchestrate the assassination. Gupta has denied any involvement. The indictment said Gupta contacted a criminal associate to help find a hit man to carry out the killing, but that person happened to be a DEA informant. The informant then introduced Gupta to a purported hit man, who was actually a DEA agent, it said.
The discovery of alleged assassination plots against Sikh separatists in the U.S. and Canada has tested relations with India, seen by Western nations as a counter to China’s rising global influence. New Delhi denies involvement in such plots.
Impact Shorts
View AllHowever, India’s government has dissociated itself from the plot against Pannun, saying it was against government policy. It has said it would formally investigate security concerns raised by Washington. New Delhi has long complained about Sikh separatist groups outside India, viewing them as security threats. The groups have kept alive the movement for Khalistan, or the demand for an independent Sikh state to be carved out of India. Last month, Washington said it was satisfied so far with India’s moves to ensure accountability in the alleged plots, but added that many steps still needed to be taken.
Pakistan accuses Indian agents involvements in extrajudicial killings of its citizens
Pakistan has been accusing neighboring India’s intelligence agency of involvement in the extrajudicial killings of its citizens, saying it had credible evidence linking Indian agents to the deaths of Pakistanis. The Guardian reported that Research and Analysis Wing (Raw), had been involved in up to 20 killings of individuals in Pakistan since 2020, as part of a wider policy to target terrorists living on foreign soil.
In recent years, Pakistan has seen a significant increase in targeted operations against convicted terrorists, particularly those associated with Islamist groups responsible for attacks in India. This shift in strategy reportedly began in 2019, following the Pulwama attack, where members of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based terror group, killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel in Kashmir. At the time, Narendra Modi, who was seeking re-election, was in power.
Indian intelligence sources have revealed to the Guardian that this change in approach was inspired by tactics used by agencies like Israel’s Mossad. They also referenced the high-profile assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 within the Saudi consulate in Istanbul as a potential influence. These incidents suggest that India has been looking at these models for guidance in conducting their operations against terrorists in Pakistan, the Guardian reported.
Germany charges Indian spying on the Sikh community & Kashmir activists
In 2020, Germany charged an Indian man with spying on the Sikh community and Kashmir activists in the country for the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) since January 2015. The R&AW reportedly suspected that people with vested elements having links with local security agencies were providing support to the Khalistani leaders and that’s why legal action was not taken against the Khalistani operatives in that country.
Gurmeet Singh Bagga, a prominent operative of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), is reportedly roaming freely in Germany and actively involved in anti-India activities. Bagga, also known by the aliases ‘Doctor’ and Bagga, has been pivotal in attempts to revitalise the KZF, a militant group aiming to revive terrorism in Punjab, India.
According to various reports, Bagga has played a crucial role in re-organising the KZF and establishing sleeper cells within Punjab. These sleeper cells have been discovered and dismantled by Punjab Police in recent operations. Beyond this, Bagga has been actively involved in smuggling including sending arms, counterfeit Indian currency, and drugs into Punjab through his connections in Pakistan.
India-Canada strained ties over Nijjar killing
The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar. India has dismissed Trudeau’s charges as “absurd” and “motivated.” Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist, was wanted in India on various terror charges.
India has been asserting that its “core issue” with Canada remained that of the space given to separatists, terrorists and anti-India elements in that country.
Following Trudeau’s allegations last year, India temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens. The visa services were resumed several weeks later.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had recently said that by allowing political space to Khalistani separatist elements, the Canadian government is sending a message that its vote bank is “more powerful” than its rule of law.
Indian officers expelled from Australia in 2020: report
A new investigation by ABC TV highlighted that at least four Indian intelligence officers were asked to leave Australia in 2020 after they were caught attempting to gain access to “sensitive defence technology and airport security protocols”.
The so-called foreign “nest of spies” reportedly disrupted by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2020 was also accused of closely monitoring Indians living in Australia and developing close relationships with current and former politicians.
Qatar
The eight Indian nationals were imprisoned in Qatar since October 2022 and were accused of allegedly spying on a submarine programme. The retired naval personnel were sentenced to death by a Qatar court on some of the charges that were not made public. In a diplomatic win for India, the Qatari Court first commuted the death penalty sentence to jail terms and was later released by Doha this year.
Sri Lankan President Sirisena accuses RAW of plotting his assassination
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has accused India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of plotting his assassination in 2018, The Hindu reported. This was not the first time that a Sri Lankan leader has accused the Indian intelligence unit of interference. Following his poll defeat in 2015, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa held RAW responsible for the regime change, the report added.
With inputs from agencies.
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