US Congress puts spanner in arms deals over Gurpatwant Singh Pannun row

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, January 31

Reacting to reports that Washington has stalled the delivery of 31 MQ-9A Sea Guardian and Sky Guardian drones to India until it carries out a “meaningful investigation” into the conspiracy to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the US embassy here said the Biden administration continues to discuss the issue with the US Congress.

Drones to engines

• Reports suggest the US has stalled the delivery of 31 MQ-9A Sea Guardian and Sky Guardian drones
• Technology transfer deal to make GE 414 engines in India ‘being carefully evaluated’ by the US, say sources
• The sale of six Boeing P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft also ‘held back’
• The condition: India carries out a ‘meaningful probe’ into the alleged conspiracy to assassinate Pannun

“As part of the standard process, prior to the formal notification, the State Department routinely engages foreign affairs committees to address the staff,” said a US embassy spokesperson when asked to respond.

The embassy, in its response, did not specifically comment on the Pannun issue being a roadblock. It said the US Congress evaluates “the potential sale consistent with standard processes and policies guiding arm sales decisions”.

Other sources have indicated in the recent past that two major deals--high-performance drones and technology transfer to make GE 414 engines in India--are being carefully evaluated at various levels, especially the US Commerce Ministry to comply with export control norms.

Now, the latest report says the delay is not at various levels of the US government but the US Congress that is “opposed to a deal with a country that allegedly sought to hire hitmen to kill its citizens.

Pannun has been declared a terrorist by India and his organisation Sikhs for Justice has been banned. The pro-Khalistan activist has also appeared on video threatening people not to fly by Air India as well as threatening to attack Parliament. However, the US government paints him as a “victim”, claiming that “some Indian government officials had tried to assassinate him”. A bevy of top US officials have visited India asking it to cooperate on the Pannun case. India announced the setting up of a panel to probe the allegations on November 18, but the MEA has declined to provide further details.

After years of negotiations, the US had approved a $3 billion purchase order for 31 extremely advanced drones. Apart from this deal, reports say the US has also held back the sale of six Boeing P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, which were urgently required after Pakistan modernised its long-range reconnaissance inventory.

The Defence Ministry had cleared the proposal in June last year, in time for PM Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US.

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