Will remain engaged with India on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun issue, says US official

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 20

US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma here on Tuesday said America would stay engaged with the Indian Government on the issue of the alleged bid to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States.

“I know we raised our concerns with the Government of India. There is a committee of inquiry looking into the matter, and we will stay engaged with the government and look forward to its findings. And it has taken it very seriously, and we’re grateful for that,” Verma said.

He made the remarks at an event titled “The long view from DC: The India-US partnership” hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in Delhi. His statement comes after the US Justice Department unsealed an indictment against an Indian national for his alleged involvement in the foiled plot to assassinate Pannun.

In December, Washington said it thwarted an alleged plot hatched by an Indian agent to kill Pannun on American soil. India has already constituted a probe committee to investigate the allegations.

“We are in a transformational period in the US-India ties. I am privileged and honoured to be working on this relationship. When I look at the joint statement that was signed between Prime Minister Modi and President Biden for the state visit last summer, I must say I have never seen a more detailed and consequential pathway for our two countries,” the former US Ambassador to India said in a special keynote address at another event, INDUS-X Summit.

“Through all our people-to-people contacts, the US Embassy is issuing more visas....We now have more Indian students in the United States than ever before. On defence, we have taken unprecedented steps to increase cooperation to bring our establishments closer, and both sides have taken steps to get here,” he said.

— (With PTI inputs)

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