State Behind the Gun: India’s Growing Global Terror Allegations

From South Asia to North America, mounting evidence links India to extrajudicial killings and covert operations abroad.

 

By Muhammad Mohsin Iqbal

India, once perceived primarily as a regional actor grappling

with internal insurgencies, now faces mounting global scrutiny over its alleged involvement in state-sponsored terrorism and extrajudicial actions beyond its borders. While Pakistan has long accused India of covert interference, recent developments in Canada and the United States have significantly widened the scope—and credibility—of these allegations.

From Balochistan to British Columbia: The Trail of Allegations

Pakistan’s most prominent case remains the arrest of Kulbhushan Jadhav in March 2016, a serving Indian naval officer apprehended in Balochistan. His confession—alleging links with India’s intelligence agency RAW and involvement in subversive acts in Pakistan—led to international legal proceedings. Though the International

Court of Justice (ICJ) stayed his execution and urged consular access, it did not dismiss the validity of Pakistan’s concerns, keeping the case a point of contention on the global stage.

In 2020, Pakistan released a comprehensive dossier containing audio, video, and documentary evidence alleging Indian support for banned outfits like the TTP and BLA. These claims pointed to Indian consulates in Afghanistan as nodes of logistical and financial support for insurgent groups operating inside Pakistan.

The Western Turn: Canada and the United States Step In

The narrative took a decisive global turn on September 18, 2023, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian government agents of involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and Sikh separatist leader. The incident, which took place outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, prompted a diplomatic rift between Ottawa and New Delhi, including the expulsion of diplomats on both sides.

Not long after, on November 29, 2023, the U.S. Depa

rtment of Justice unsealed an indictment against Indian national Nikhil Gupta for plotting the assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. citizen and Sikh separatist leader. According to U.S. prosecutors, Gupta was allegedly recruited by an Indian government official to orchestrate the murder-for-hire operation. Evidence included encrypted communications and financial transactions directly linking the plot to Indian state actors. Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic, further internationalizing the matter.

Intelligence Cooperation and Global Alarm

The seriousness of these allegations was reinforced when Five Eyes intelligence allianc

e members—the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—reportedly corroborated Canada’s claims, as reported by The Washington Post, The Guardian, and BBC. These developments signal a growing consensus among Western intelligence agencies about the need to reassess India’s covert capabilities and intentions.

Human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have also expressed alarm over a rising pattern of transnational repression, digital surveillance, and the targeting of dissidents abroad.

Legal, Ethical, and Geopolitical Implications

India’s alleged involvement in extraterritorial actions raises serious questions about its commitment to international law, sovereignty, and human rights—especially for a country that claims the mantle of the world’s largest democracy. If substantiated, these operations represent a dangerous precedent wherein democratic states bypass international norms for political objectives, undercutting the global rule of law.

For Pakistan, these revelations are not new. Incidents like the 2014 Army Public School massacre in Peshawar, where 132 children were killed, were linked by Pakistani officials to India-sponsored militant networks operating via Afghanistan. Islamabad has repeatedly called for international inquiries, submitting evidence to the UN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Conclusion: A Call for Global Accountability

As credible allegations pile up—backed by international intelligence, legal indictments, and bipartisan outrage—the time for diplomatic ambiguity is over. India must be held to the same standards as any state engaged in extrajudicial operations or terrorism. Selective enforcement of international norms not only undermines justice but emboldens future violations.

The world must not ignore the growing trail of evidence pointing toward state-sponsored transnational aggression. Accountability is not a selective principle; it is the foundation of global peace and lawful international engagement.

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