The outgoing Biden administration on Tuesday, December 17, exuded confidence that India and the US will be able to “weather” the challenges to their relationship that arose after two recent indictments — one related to a Sikh separatist and the other to an Indian billionaire.
“I’m confident that we will be able to weather this appropriately,” a senior administration official said responding to a question that the two indictments cast a shadow on the India-US relationship.
In a New York court, the US Department of Justice has accused an Indian official of being involved in a plan to kill Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
ALSO READ: Ex-Indian official charged in US for foiled assassination plot against Khalistani separatist Pannun
The other indictment charges Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and several others in the Adani Group of corruption. “Many people say that that kind of casts a shadow on the relationship and it raises questions about trust (between India and US) once again,” the official was asked.
ALSO READ: US issues arrest warrant against Indian billionaire Adani following indictment for bribery
Responding to it, the official said: “I would just simply say the relationship is increasingly complex, increasingly diverse and increasingly deep. It is the case that invariably, we will reach occasions of challenges on both sides, and the key is how we deal with those.”
“I can just assure you that we’ve had the deepest possible appropriate consultation between the two sides, and I’m confident that we will be able to weather this appropriately,” said the official.
A second senior administration official described the indictments as regulatory and law enforcement issues that are best left to the agencies directly involved to speak to. “It wouldn’t be appropriate for us to comment from either the White House or the State Department,” the second official said.
“But we stand by and strongly believe in the view … that this relationship is in a very strong position,” the official added.
