A prominent Democratic senator said that the Biden administration shouldn't put its geopolitical alliance with India ahead of its demands that Prime Minister Narendra Modi bring those responsible for an alleged conspiracy to kill an American citizen on US territory to justice.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in an interview on Tuesday that "it would be a huge mistake if the Biden administration let this slide." It goes without saying that we must enforce our laws against our enemies. However, we must also hold our friends and partners to our values, beliefs, and legal requirements. We would lose credibility if we didn't.
Among the Democrats who support President Joe Biden, Van Hollen is unusual in his critique of this aspect of the US-Indian relationship. Additionally, he has been vocal in his criticism of the administration's approach to Israel.
Last year, US authorities charged an Indian government agent of masterminding a conspiracy to kill the American, Gurpatwant Singh Pannum, a Sikh activist in New York who has been designated as a terrorist by New Delhi. The operation, according to the prosecution, was a part of a larger Indian scheme to target opponents overseas, which included the earlier that year's assassination of a Sikh activist from Canada.
The claims have been batted down by the Biden administration and Modi's government, who claim that their partnership is unaffected and that it is essential to US efforts in Asia to confront China, Washington's principal geopolitical foe.
The senator's critique coincides with the US and India's ongoing strengthening of their alliance. This week, Indian officials and Modi are having discussions in New Delhi, where US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is meeting to discuss ways to further collaboration between the two countries on a range of topics, from semiconductor chips to military manufacture and cooperation. This is the first time a high-ranking US official has been to India since Modi was elected to a third term earlier this month.
The Indian government has said that it would look into the American issue, although it has mostly refuted claims that it was involved in pursuing Sikh separatists. Senior Indian authorities revealed to Bloomberg in March that their probe revealed the plot's involvement with renegade agents who were not approved by the government.
Senators would not find an Indian inquiry that implicated "rogue" spies to be trustworthy, according to a former legislative staffer.
This week, Czech police successfully deported an Indian suspect who was sought by the US for his suspected participation in the conspiracy. Media sources state that Nikhil Gupta, the suspect, entered a not guilty plea to allegations of plotting Pannun's death on Monday in a Manhattan federal court.
No comments:
Post a Comment