Will there be tension in the Pannu case even if Biden does not want it? Know what will be the effect of Nikhil Gupta’s extradition

Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta has been brought to the US from the Czech Republic. Therefore, this matter has again come into the limelight after the Lok Sabha elections. Nikhil Gupta is accused of being involved in the conspiracy to kill pro-Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu. Pannu is a Khalistani supporter with dual citizenship of the US and Canada. The US Justice Department says that Pannu was using his/her freedom of speech as an American citizen, that is why he/she was targeted. Czech authorities had approved Gupta’s extradition. Just 11 days after this, he/she was sent to the US from the Czech Republic. Interestingly, US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan was also on a visit to India at the same time. Sullivan’s visit was for talks between India and the US on critical and emerging technologies (iCET). But Gupta’s extradition also affected this visit. Some Democrat members of the US Senate have written a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding a strong response from India in this matter. he/she says that America should give a clear message to India that such acts will have serious consequences.

Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has said that unlike Canada, the US does not support extremism in the name of freedom of expression. It is also worth noting that Sullivan did not make any open statement on this matter during his/her visit to India, although he/she was expected to do so. Although this matter may cause some ups and downs in the relations between India and America, but the strategic partnership between the two countries is so strong that such issues will not have any significant impact on it.

The US Justice Department says Pannu is an American citizen and political activist. She was targeted for exercising her ‘most important American right – freedom of speech’. Gupta, on the other hand, has denied all the allegations against him/her. The Czech Justice Minister announced Gupta’s extradition on the same day when US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan arrived in India. However, interestingly, many important events took place before his/her visit to India.

Czech Republic Justice Minister Pavel Blazek made these revelations on the same day Sullivan arrived here. On the same day, a group of Democrat senators led by Jeff Merkley in the US wrote a letter to Foreign Minister Antony Blinken demanding a strong response to the alleged Indian involvement in the conspiracy. They want a clear message to be given to India that such behavior will have to face consequences. Sullivan did not interact with the media during his/her visit. It is not often that a top US official does not talk to the media. Meanwhile, the Indian government formed a committee in November to investigate the US allegations, but the report has not been made public yet. If pressure increases on the Joe Biden administration of America, then the pressure on India to make the report public may increase.

Since the US elections are still some way off, it is too early for India to think about waiting for the storm to blow over. Canada has accused India of killing another Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Recently, an Australian media outlet claimed how Indian spies targeted Sikh separatists in Australia. However, India has called this claim completely false.

While it may seem that India-US relations are going to have ups and downs, it does not seem that the two countries will let the Pannu issue hamper their partnership for ‘global good’. This is evident from the fact that both sides have quietly worked together without any public abuse in the Pannu case, unlike the situation between India and Canada. Jaishankar has said that unlike Canada, the US does not defend extremism in the name of freedom of expression.

It is also significant that Sullivan did not speak publicly about the case, although he/she was widely expected to do so during his/her visit. Of course, there will be apprehensions that the US could use the case as a bargaining chip to gain concessions on controversial issues, especially in the economic sphere.

Both sides also need each other. The US needs a strong defence shield against China’s growing aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, and India needs access to cutting-edge technology needed for its growth and security. Sullivan’s visit saw both sides reaffirm their commitment to ISET, which is a big deal. It can serve as a guiding framework for the development of relations.

It is being said that India will have to find a way out with the US on this matter. The issue has been raised at the highest level and given the tone and language of the voices coming from the US and particularly the Justice Department, the Biden administration has no choice but to pursue this matter with India to its logical conclusion. This means that it will be compelled to pursue criminal prosecution of those allegedly hatching the conspiracy from India. As the senators warned in their letter to Blinken, any attempt at scapegoating will not work.

With inputs from TOI reporter Sachin Parashar