A few incidents cannot derail India-US ties, says PM Modi on Pannun case

In his first public response to allegations of an Indian national conspiring to murder a Khalistani separatist in New York, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the issue will be examined, but a few incidents cannot derail ties between India and the US.

“If someone gives us any information, we will 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 told the UK daily Financial Times on Tuesday.

“I don’t think it is appropriate to link a few incidents with diplomatic relations between the two countries. There is strong bipartisan support for the strengthening of the India-US relationship, which is a clear indicator of a mature and stable partnership,” he pointed out.

Modi, in his interview to the newspaper, also highlighted his deep concern about the activities of extremist groups overseas, saying they were engaged in intimidation and incited violence “under the guise of freedom of expression”.

He underlined that security and counter-terrorism cooperation has been a key component of the ties between India and the US.

The Financial Times had last month in a report cited unnamed officials, as saying that the US “thwarted a conspiracy to assassinate” Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil.

The report also claimed that the US government had issued a “warning” to India over concerns that an official in New Delhi was “involved in the plot” to eliminate Pannun.