Jaishankar meets top US security official in backdrop of Nikhil Gupta case

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met US Principal Deputy NSA Jon Finer and discussed various bilateral and global issues, in the first publicly announced meeting with an American security official after the US's charges relating to a thwarted plot to kill a Sikh separatist on its soil.

The meeting between Jaishankar and Finer here came days after American prosecutors linked an Indian official to a man charged with conspiring to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

It is understood that the issue figured in the meeting though there is no official confirmation of it.

"Good to meet Principal Deputy NSA of the US Jon Finer this afternoon. Useful exchange of views on the global situation. Discussed taking our bilateral cooperation forward," Jaishankar said on 'X'.

India on November 30 described as a "matter of concern" the US linking the Indian official to a man charged with conspiring to kill Pannun, and asserted that follow up action will be taken based on findings of an inquiry panel investigating the allegations.

India has already constituted a probe team to investigate allegations relating to the foiled plot.

On November 29, US federal prosecutors charged Nikhil Gupta, 52, of working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun. The US prosecutors informed a Manhattan court that authorities in the Czech Republic arrested and detained Gupta.

Pannun, a leader of the so-called 'Sikhs for Justice', is wanted by Indian probe agencies on various terror charges.

The Financial Times, citing unnamed sources, first reported last month that US authorities foiled a plot to assassinate Pannun, and issued a warning to the Indian government over concerns it was involved in the plot.

The Washington Post on November 29 said the Biden administration was so concerned after discovering the plot that it sent CIA Director William J Burns and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to India in August and October respectively to demand investigation and hold those responsible to account.

Last week, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed as "good and appropriate" India's decision to announce a high-level probe into the allegations.

"The government (of India) announced today that it was conducting an investigation, and that's good and appropriate, and we look forward to seeing the results," he told reporters in Tel Aviv