India Urges US to Designate Sikh Group as Terrorist Organization

• India seeks to classify Sikhs for Justice as a terrorist organization, according to sources.
• The request was communicated to a visiting US intelligence chief.
• Sikhs for Justice refutes allegations from India.

NEW DELHI: An Indian government source reported that India has requested the United States to designate the Sikh separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) as a terrorist organization. This plea comes over a year after the US revealed it had thwarted a plot with connections to India aimed at assassinating a SFJ leader on American soil.

In November 2023, the US disclosed the assassination plan and subsequently charged a former officer of India’s spy agency with orchestrating the conspiracy against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual citizen of the US and Canada, and general counsel for SFJ. This incident has strained the growing partnership between India and the US.

India has vehemently denied any ties to the assassination plot. Following the accusations from Washington, it formed a committee to investigate the matter and announced in January that legal action would be pursued against an unidentified individual.

During discussions between Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, India made its request for SFJ to be classified as a terrorist group, according to the unnamed source, who chose to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

Indian media has confirmed this report as well.

Established in 2007, SFJ organizes votes to push for an independent Sikh state named Khalistan within predominantly Hindu India.

In 2019, the Indian government designated SFJ as an “unlawful association” due to its advocacy for extremist and separatist activities. Pannun was labeled an “individual terrorist” in 2020.

India is currently facing a diplomatic rift with Canada following the June 2023 murder of another Sikh separatist in Canada.

Sikhs for Justice has dismissed India’s allegations. In a statement shared with Reuters, Pannun questioned, “Who is the real terrorist here? Is it SFJ, which is conducting a peaceful and democratic Khalistan Referendum to free Punjab from Indian rule?” He continued, “Or is it Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s regime, engaging in violent repression and employing assassins to target Khalistan Referendum organizers?”

A spokesperson from the Indian defense ministry chose not to comment. Meanwhile, a representative from the US Embassy stated that they had no additional information beyond what the Indian defense ministry released regarding the talks between Singh and Gabbard, which did not mention SFJ.

During a geopolitical conference in New Delhi, Gabbard remarked that she had heard serious security concerns from her Indian counterparts, although she did not provide further details.