AMN / WEB DESK
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India will look into any information it receives on its alleged links to a foiled plot to murder a Sikh separatist leader in the United States. he asserted that a ”few incidents” won’t derail India-US ties.
The issue comes at a delicate juncture for both India and the Biden administration in the United States as they try to build closer ties in the face of shared concerns about China’s growing power.
In an exclusive interview to Financial Times, he said, “If someone gives us any information, we would definitely look into it. If a citizen of ours has done anything good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to the rule of law.”
Modi said India was “deeply concerned about the activities of certain extremist groups based overseas.” These elements, he said, under the guise of freedom of expression, have engaged in intimidation and incited violence.
Amid intense speculation over the fate of India-US ties in the wake of the alleged assassination plot, he asserted that there was a strong bipartisan support for the strengthening of the Indo-US relationship which was a clear indicator of a mature and stable partnership. ”Security and counter-terrorism cooperation has been a key component of our partnership,” he said, adding he did not think it was appropriate to link a few incidents with diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The target of the alleged assassination plot was Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual citizen of the US and Canada, who has been designated as a terrorist by India. New Delhi has repeatedly accused the Western nations of not taking its security concerns, especially with regard to the activities of ‘Khalistan’ supporters.