Weeks after the United States alleged Indian national's hand behind a conspiracy to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today made his first response to the row. In an interview to a newspaper, Prime Minister Modi said that the claims will be examined but 'a few incidents' like this cannot derail India's ties with the United States.


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PM Modi said that if an Indian citizen has done anything good or bad, the government is ready to look into it. "Our commitment is to the rule of law," Prime Minister Modi told the Financial Times.


Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a citizen of both the US and Canada, strongly supports the Khalistan movement, which seeks an independent Sikh state. US prosecutors stated that Nikhil Gupta paid $100,000 in cash to a hitman to kill Pannun, allegedly under the direction of an Indian government official. Although India considers Pannun a terrorist, he refutes this, asserting that he is an activist.


Speaking about Indo-US ties, PM Modi said that there is strong bipartisan support for the strengthening of the India-US relationship, which is a clear indicator of a mature and stable partnership.


In November, the US Department of Justice made a statement claiming that there was an intercepted plan originating from India to assassinate a Sikh separatist residing in the United States. Charges of 'murder-for-hire' and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire have been filed by the US Attorney's Office against Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national. If found guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of 20 years.