Tulsi Gabbard, head of the U.S. intelligence department, is in Delhi for the Raisina Dialogue. On Monday, she met with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. During the meeting, Singh raised concerns about the activities of the banned Khalistani group 'Sikhs for Justice' (SFJ) and urged strict action against this terrorist organization.
Call for Action Against Pannu
According to sources from news agency ANI, during the meeting with Tulsi Gabbard, Defense Minister Singh expressed India's concerns about SFJ, headed by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, and called for stringent measures from the U.S. India is constantly pushing for global action against the SFJ, banned within its borders, but active abroad as well.
This step represents India's efforts to combat Khalistani extremism and curb terrorist funding through global cooperation. Singh highlighted the SFJ's links to Pakistan-based terror networks and informed Gabbard of its role in promoting separatist activities. This meeting occurred amid allegations by U.S. prosecutors in November last year, implicating Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta in a conspiracy to murder Pannu alongside another alleged Indian government official.
Source: aajtak
India has categorically denied any involvement in the alleged assassination attempt on Pannu and has initiated a high-level investigation into the matter. Pannu holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Canada and is wanted in India on terrorism charges, having been declared a terrorist under the stringent anti-terrorism law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Discussion on Enhancing Defense Cooperation
Gabbard emphasized the need to view tariff issues positively, noting that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump are committed to their respective countries' economic interests. She expressed confidence in the improved understanding between the leaders of the two nations, projecting progress toward better solutions.
Tulsi Gabbard's visit to the national capital marks the first high-level trip to India by a senior official from the Trump administration. On Monday, she met Rajnath Singh to discuss advancing India-U.S. strategic relations, particularly in defense and information sharing.
Meeting with NSA
In a post on social media platform X, Rajnath Singh expressed his pleasure in meeting Gabbard and discussing ways to deepen the India-U.S. partnership. He highlighted the discussions around defense and information sharing aimed at strengthening this partnership.
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The conversation between Singh and Gabbard came just a day after her meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. They participated in a global intelligence experts conference hosted in the national capital by India. The focus of Gabbard and Doval's face-to-face meeting was on strengthening intelligence sharing and exploring collaborative efforts in the security sector as part of the India-U.S. global strategic partnership.
