Indian Official Charged in Connection with New York Sikh Assassination Plot

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an advocate for the Sikh ethno-religious state Khalistan and the recent target of Vikash Yadav, an Indian government official indicted by the US Department of Justice. (Photo: AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

Vikash Yadav, a self-identified “senior field officer” in the Indian government, was indicted by the US Attorney's Office on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, implicating him in the foiled murder plot of US citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an attorney and vocal Sikh advocate, earlier this year. 

Yadav allegedly engaged in a “murder-for-hire” plot, hiring Nikhil Gupta to assassinate Pannun. This indictment not only implicated Yadav but also tied the Indian government to an attempted assassination of a US citizen on US soil. Yadav has been involved in various levels of India’s government, including the military and the cabinet secretariat. The FBI claims that Pannun was targeted for exercising his “First Amendment rights” in his advocacy for Khalistan, a Sikh ethno-religious state. After the release of the indictment on Oct. 17, the Indian government stated that the individual in question no longer works at any level of government but did not directly name Yadav.

This news comes at a pivotal moment for India’s relationship with North American nations. Just days before Vikash Yadav’s indictment was released, the Canadian government expelled several of India’s diplomats for alleged ties to a criminal network in response to last year’s assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, also an advocate of the Khalistan movement, appears to have been one of Yadav’s targets. In light of Canada’s accusations, India’s government has denied any involvement in Nijjar’s killing, citing a lack of concrete evidence. While India is cooperating with the US in its investigation into the attempted murder of Pannun, Canada has not received the same level of compliance in their investigation into Nijjar’s death, prompting such a drastic measure.

Sikhs in Peshawar, Pakistan, hold a protest after the killing of Khalistan advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023. (Photo: AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated that if India is behind Nijjar’s killing, they have made a “massive mistake.” This is part of a broader exchange of accusations between the two nations. As tensions escalate, India’s relationship with Canada is rapidly deteriorating. The US State Department has publicly expressed its support for India’s cooperation with the Canadian investigation, although no such collaboration between both nations has occurred.

It remains to be seen how this indictment and the ongoing investigation will impact India’s relationship with the United States. Just weeks ago, Indian Prime Minister Modi attended a Quad Summit in Delaware, where relations between the two nations appeared to strengthen. Given the importance of this partnership to US foreign policy, it is unlikely that the US will take the same actions as Canada. However, in an alarming statement, Nikhil Gupta, the man hired to execute Yadav’s plots, claimed they “have many targets.” The continuation of these assassination plots against Khalistan advocates could have significant global consequences.