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BIG STORY DECEMBER 29, 2023 | The Indian Eye 5

has set up a high-level committee. to you, I mean your choice whether
“We take the inputs seriously; inputs you would like us to pursue it, further
have been provided by the US side. look into it or not,” he added.
A high-level inquiry committee has Even as India deals with these al-
been set up to look into all relevant legations, Prime Minister Narendra
matters. This fact has also been not- Modi has made it clear that India’s
ed by all the members of Congress. I foreign policy approach is a “mix-
don’t have any updates on the com- and-match diplomacy” focused on
mittee, on its timeline, or its find- pragmatic engagement aligned with
ings,” he added. national interests. “The world is in-
Following the US allegations, terconnected as well as interdepen-
Arindam Bagchi said that a case filed dent,” Modi said in his interview with
against an individual in a US court Financial Times.
and allegedly linking him to an In- He also underscored the com-
dian official is a “matter of concern” plexity of global dynamics while
and is contrary to government poli- emphasizing that India’s foremost
cy. India has also set up a high-level The Samosa Caucus members have welcomed the Indian investigation into the allegations (File photo) guiding principle in foreign affairs is
committee to probe the matter. its national interest. This approach,
In another development, a plea In a related development, Cana- want to be advancing the Indo-Pa- according to PM Modi, enables India
has been filed with the Supreme dian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cific strategy. But it is foundational to engage with various nations in a
Court of India seeking assistance and has said he believes India’s relations for Canada to stand up for people’s manner that respects mutual inter-
the matter has been listed for a hear- with Canada may have undergone “a rights, for people’s safety, and for the ests and acknowledges the intricate
ing on January 4. As per the plea, tonal shift” in the days since the un- rule of law. And that’s what we’re go- nature of contemporary geopolitics.
Nikhil Gupta is currently detained in sealing of a US indictment alleging a ing to do,” CBC reported Trudeau as “Our foremost guiding principle
prison in the Czech Republic while conspiracy to murder India-designat- saying. in foreign affairs is our national in-
awaiting extradition to the United ed terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pan- But even as Trudeau raises the terest,” PM Modi said, adding, “This
States in connection with the case nun on American soil, Canada-based pitch again, on the issue of allega- stance allows us to engage with vari-
there for allegedly being involved in CBC News reported. tions made by the US and Canada, ous nations in a manner that respects
a foiled plot to murder Pannun. The Canadian prime minister External Affairs Minister (EAM) mutual interests and acknowledges
As the Pannun saga continues, made the remarks in an end-of-year S Jaishankar emphasized that the the complexities of contemporary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has, interview with the CBC’s Rosemary two issues are not the same, adding geopolitics.”
for the first time responded to the Barton. The U.S. indictment appears that India is open to looking into the When questioned about India’s
claims made by the US, saying that he to have convinced the Indian gov- matter. While speaking at the Rota- relationship with the United States
will “look into” any evidence, adding ernment to adopt a more sober tone, ry Institute 2023 event in Bengaluru, and whether it could be character-
that “few incidents” would not affect said Trudeau, as reported by CBC. Jaishankar asserted that India is a ized as an alliance, PM Modi high-
US-India ties. “If someone gives us “I think there is a beginning of an responsible country and it is willing lighted the “upward trajectory” of
any information, we would definite- understanding that they can’t blus- to look into the matter if any coun- relations. Despite recent allegations
ly look into it,” PM Modi said in an ter their way through this and there try has a concern and shares inputs, involving an Indian government offi-
interview with the UK based newspa- is an openness to collaborating in a referring to the Canada allegations cial in a plot on US soil, the Prime
per Financial Times. way that perhaps they were less open about the alleged link of “agents of Minister asserted that the India-US
“If a citizen of ours has done before,” he said. the Indian government” in the kill- relationship is now broader in en-
anything good or bad, we are ready “We don’t want to be in a situa- ing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep gagement, deeper in understanding,
to look into it. Our commitment is to tion of having a fight with India right Singh Nijjar. and warmer in friendship than ever
the rule of law,” the Prime Minister now over this,” he said. “We want to “So, we very sincerely have told before.
said. be working on that trade deal. We the Canadians saying that look it’s up In another positive develop-
But Modi also raised concerns ment, Indian American Members
over extremist activities, and said, In- of Congress have “welcomed” the
dia was “deeply concerned about the Indian government’s announce-
activities of certain extremist groups ment of a committee of enquiry to
based overseas,” adding “These ele- probe the alleged foiled assassina-
ments, under the guise of freedom of tion plot against India-designated
expression, have engaged in intimi- terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
dation and incited violence,” Finan- Indian American members of Con-
cial Times reported. gress - Ami Bera, Pramila Jayap-
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who al, Ro Khanna, Shri Thanedar and
was declared a ‘designated individual Raja Krishnamoorthi called the al-
terrorist’ by the Government of India legations made in the indictment of
on July 1, 2020, has been actively ex- Nikhil Gupta in connection with a
horting Punjab-based gangsters and foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen
youth over social media to fight for “deeply concerning.”
the cause of the independent state of In the press release, the US Rep-
Khalistan, challenging the sovereign- resentatives said, “We appreciate the
ty, integrity and security of the coun- Administration providing us a classi-
try, NIA investigations have shown. fied briefing on the Department of
Pannun has been under the NIA Justice’s indictment of Nikhil Gupta,
lens since 2019 when the anti-terror External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has made a clear distinction between the American and which alleges that an Indian govern-
agency registered its first case against Canadian cases (ANI) ment official engaged in a murder-
him. for-hire plot of an American citizen.”

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