After Colorado, Maine Blocks Trump From Presidential Primary

WASHINGTON, Dec 29: The US state of Maine on Thursday blocked former president Donald Trump from its Republican presidential primary after the top election official ruled him ineligible due to involvement in the January 2021 assault on the US Capitol.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said in her ruling that the events of January 6, 2021 "occurred at the behest of, and with the knowledge and support of, the outgoing President."

"The US Constitution does not tolerate an assault on the foundations of our government and (Maine law) requires me to act in response," the ruling read.

Maine joins Colorado which earlier this month also disqualified Trump from its Republican primary, moves that will certainly be challenged in the US Supreme Court.

The rulings in both states invoked the US Constitution's 14th Amendment, which bars from office anyone formerly sworn to protect the country who later engages in insurrection.

Trump's campaign quickly slammed Bellows' ruling as "attempted theft of an election and the disenfranchisement of the American voter."

"Make no mistake, these partisan election interference efforts are a hostile assault on American democracy," campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement, accusing President Joe Biden and Democrats of "relying on the force of government institutions to protect their grip on power."

Cheung said Trump would appeal the Maine secretary of state's decision.

Nikki Haley roars past Donald Trump in New Hampshire poll within 4 points

NEW YORK, Dec 24: A new poll shows that Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, is close behind Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire. Haley has 29% support, while Trump has 33%, within the 4% margin of error. The primary is scheduled for 23 January.

Haley has gained momentum in New Hampshire since September, when another poll showed her with half her current support. She is seen as a clear alternative to Trump for conservative voters. Trump, however, has less than 50% support, which indicates he has serious competition in the party.

On the one hand, he has insulted her on his Truth Social site, calling her “Birdbrain” and the polls “fake”. He has also told a radio show host that he is not worried about her as a challenger. On the other hand, he has reportedly asked his team about choosing her as his running mate if he wins the nomination, which suggests he wants to benefit from her popularity. However, some sources say the far-right is opposed to a Trump-Haley ticket.

Haley has been proud of her poll results. She said at a town hall in Iowa, where the caucuses are on 15 January: “Donald Trump has started to attack me. He said, ‘I don’t know what this Nikki Haley surge is all about.’ Do you want me to tell you what it’s about? … We’re surging.”

Haley was the US ambassador to the UN under Trump, but she quit in 2018. Before that, she was the governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017. She signed a law banning abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest. The law took effect after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, the ruling that gave women the right to abortion.

Trump, meanwhile, faces 91 criminal charges for various crimes, such as trying to overturn his 2020 election loss, keeping government secrets after leaving office, and paying off a porn star. He also faces civil lawsuits over his business dealings and a rape accusation.

Trump has faced criticism for allegedly having books by Adolf Hitler – the Nazi dictator who killed 6 million Jews in the Holocaust – near his bed.

Many people have compared Trump’s comments that some immigrants were “poisoning the blood of” the US to the language used by Hitler, Benito Mussolini and other tyrants in history.

Hindu Temple Defaced In US, Government Says 'Sentiments Of Indians Hurt'

NEWARK (California), Dec 23: A Hindu temple in California was defaced with pro-Khalistan and anti-India slogans. The photos of the defacement at Newark's Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha were shared on X by the Hindu-American Foundation.

The images showed slogans against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on several walls of the temple. The organisation said that the hateful messages may have been written to traumatise people visiting the temple and also create a "fear of violence".

A case has been filed with the Newark Police Department and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

India strongly condemned the incident and said that it has sought quick action.

"We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter," Indian Embassy said on X (formerly Twitter).

This is not the first time a Hindu temple has been targeted, as similar incidents have occurred in the past, both in the US and its neighboring Canada. India has earlier expressed concern over escalating activities by Khalistan supporters and clamped down on organisations and individuals trying to stoke separatist sentiment in different countries.

In August, a temple in Canada's Surrey was vandalised allegedly by Khalistani supporters. Pro-Khalistan posters were put up on the walls and the gate of the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, in Surrey - one of the oldest temples in British Columbia.

The posters called for Canada to investigate India's "role" in the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18.

Canada accused India of having a role in Nijjar's killing but hasn't yet provided India with evidence for the allegations. The US has also arrested an Indian for alleged involvement in a plot to murder Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

India has called the allegations false and baseless, claiming that they will investigate if the countries provide proof.

"If someone gives us any information, we will definitely look into it," Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently told the Financial Times.

"If a citizen of ours has done anything, good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to the rule of law," Modi said.

US Condemns Vandalism Of Hindu Temple In California

NEW YORK, Dec 23: The US on Saturday condemned the vandalism of a Hindu temple in California and welcomed efforts by the police to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark, California was vandalised with anti-India graffiti and the police are investigating the matter as a possible hate crime.

"We condemn the vandalism of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in California. We welcome efforts by the Newark Police Department to ensure that those responsible are held accountable," the US State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said in a post on social media platform X.

In an emailed statement, the City of Newark Police Department in Newark, California, said that on Friday at approximately 8:35 am, Newark Police received a report of graffiti at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple.

Officers responded and met with temple leaders who described the vandalism as meant to intimidate them.

"Based on the content of the graffiti it is believed that the defacement was a targeted act, and the vandalism is being investigated as a possible hate crime," the statement said.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco strongly condemned the defacing of the temple.

"We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti," the Consulate posted on X.

"This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter," the Consulate said.

According to images posted on social media, the word 'Khalistan' was spray-painted on a sign post outside the temple along with other objectionable graffiti.

US' Colorado court disqualifies Donald Trump from presidential primary ballot

DENVER, Dec 20: The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday disqualified former President Donald Trump from the ballot in the state's presidential election next year over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

The ruling makes Trump the first presidential candidate in U.S. history to be deemed ineligible for the White House under a rarely used provision of the U.S. Constitution that bars officials who have engaged in "insurrection or rebellion" from holding office.

The court concluded that the U.S. Constitution bars the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in 2024 from appearing on the ballot because of his role instigating violence against the U.S. government.

The ruling applies only to the state's March 5 Republican primary, but its conclusion would likely also affect Trump's status for the Nov. 5 general election. Nonpartisan U.S. election forecasters view Colorado as safely Democratic, meaning that President Joe Biden will likely carry the state regardless of Trump's fate.

The case was brought by a group of Colorado voters, aided by the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, who argued that Trump should be disqualified for inciting his supporters to attack the Capitol in a failed attempt to obstruct the transfer of presidential power to Biden after the 2020 election.

Trump's campaign called the court decision "flawed" and "undemocratic," and said it would be appealed.

"The Colorado Supreme Court issued a completely flawed decision tonight and we will swiftly file an appeal to the United States Supreme Court and a concurrent request for a stay of this deeply undemocratic decision," a spokesperson from the Trump campaign said.

Trump's campaign has condemned 14th Amendment challenges as an attempt to deny millions of voters their preferred choice for president.

The decision is a victory for advocacy groups and anti-Trump voters who have mounted several similar legal challenges to Trump's candidacy under section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which was enacted after the Civil War.

The decision reverses a ruling by a lower court judge who found Trump engaged in insurrection by inciting his supporters to violence, but, as president, Trump was not an "officer of the United States" who could be disqualified under the amendment.

A lawyer for Trump argued that the riot at the Capitol was not serious enough to qualify as an insurrection and that Trump's remarks to his supporters in Washington that day were protected by his right to free speech. The lawyer contended that courts do not have the authority to order Trump removed from the ballot.

Advocates have hoped to use the case to boost a wider disqualification effort and potentially put the issue before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority includes three Trump appointees.

The Colorado court said the ruling is stayed until Jan. 4, 2024, to allow for appeals.

"The court's decision today affirms what our clients alleged in this lawsuit: that Donald Trump is an insurrectionist who disqualified himself from office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment based on his role in the January 6th attack on the Capitol, and that Secretary Griswold must keep him off of Colorado's primary ballot. It is not only historic and justified, but is necessary to protect the future of democracy in our country," said CREW President Noah Bookbinder.

American Lawmakers Warn India On Murder Plot Charge

WASHINGTON, Dec 15: Indian-American lawmakers have expressed deep concern over an Indian being charged with an alleged plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an American-Canadian citizen.

If the issue is not addressed appropriately, it could cause significant damage to the US-India partnership, they warned after a classified briefing by the Biden administration of Nikhil Gupta's indictment.

Gupta was detained at the Prague airport in June in an action that came at the request of the US, the Czech government said on Friday. The US had submitted an extradition request two months later, they said.

Friday's classified briefing were attended by US Representatives Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Shri Thanedar.

"We believe the US-India partnership has made meaningful impact on the lives of both of our people, but we are concerned that the actions outlined in the indictment could, if not appropriately addressed, cause significant damage to this very consequential partnership," they said in a statement.

The US Congress members said the charges were deeply concerning and the safety of their constituents are their most important priority. They welcomed India's move to form an enquiry committee, but said it should assure the US that such incidents will not happen again.

"We welcome the Government of India's announcement of a Committee of Enquiry to investigate the murder plot and it is critical that India fully investigate, hold those responsible, including Indian government officials, accountable, and provide assurances that this will not happen again," they said.

Gupta, 52, moved the Supreme Court on Friday via a family member and claimed multiple violations of fundamental rights, including threats to himself and his family, and requested the Indian government to intervene in his extradition to the US. The hearing has been adjourned till January 4.

He claimed he was intercepted by "American agents" on his arrival in Prague, then bundled into a black SUV and interrogated for three hours while being driven around the foreign city. He claimed he was "forced" to eat only pork and beef during his first few days in the prison.

Nikhil Gupta has been charged by US federal prosecutors with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun, a designated terrorist in India.

In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had alleged the role of Indian agents in the June murder of another Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen. India had rejected the allegations as "motivated".

Biden won’t come in Jan, remains fully committed to India partnership: Jake Sullivan

WASHINGTON, Dec 14: US President Joe Biden won’t be able to make it to India in late January but he is “personally committed” to deepening ties with India, he shares a “close personal bond” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he looks forward to engaging with Modi “in the weeks and months ahead”, US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan has said.

When asked about reports of Biden not travelling to India for the Republic Day ceremony, Sullivan, Biden’s closest foreign policy aide and an architect of the relationship with India, said “Due to scheduling demands, we notified Indian officials that the President would be unable to visit India in late January.”

US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti had publicly said on September 20 that Modi invited Biden for the Republic Day ceremony when they met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi. This week, officials in Delhi told reporters that Biden was not coming, and the Quad meeting would be held later.

Sullivan’s comments are the first by any American official about the rescheduling of the visit. It is unusual because the US doesn’t usually comment on visits that the administration hasn’t formally announced in the first place. But it is being seen as a signal from the American side that the strategic relationship is robust and will continue to deepen, especially in the wake of the controversy triggered by the US Department of Justice’s indictment that implicates a serving Indian official in an assassination plot of a designated terrorist on American soil. American officials have emphasised that the decision on the visit has nothing to do with the controversy.

Sullivan said, “In June, and again in September, the President and Prime Minister affirmed a vision of the United States and India as among the closest partners in the world – and have worked steadily to advance our strategic partnership across all domains, including in critical and emerging technology, space, defence and much more. This work will continue.”

Sullivan himself helms the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (ICET) along with India’s NSA Ajit Doval. Sullivan’s deputy, Jon Finer, was in Delhi in early December to conduct a mid-term comprehensive review of iCET with both sides agreeing to expand the scope of the mechanism. Over the weekend, the US and South Korea announced they will work with India in the domain, in the first trilateral partnership of its kind.

Sullivan also said he had “witnessed first-hand” the “close personal bond” between Biden and Modi, as well as their “shared commitment to advancing the aspirations of their people for a prosperous future”. “The President remains personally committed to carrying forward this partnership, which he has often described as the most consequential partnership for the US over the century unfolding,” Sullivan said.

He added that Biden looked forward to “remaining personally engaged” with Modi “in the weeks and months ahead”.

Given the uncertainty around the Quad Leaders’ Summit — India will enter the election cycle in February while the US will get busy with its presidential election cycle next year — Sullivan said, “The President looks forward to the next meeting of the Quad leaders, and to continue our efforts to deliver results for the region and advance a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”

Israel Begins Pumping Seawater Into Hamas' Tunnels In Gaza: Report

WASHINGTON, Dec 13: The Israeli military has begun pumping seawater into Hamas' tunnel complex in Gaza, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday citing unnamed U.S. officials, adding that the process would likely take weeks.

Some Biden administration officials have said the process could help destroy the tunnels, where Israel believes the Hamas group is hiding hostages, fighters and munitions, the Journal reported. Other officials have expressed concerns the seawater would endanger Gaza's fresh water supply, the newspaper reported.

Israel's military did not immediately provide comment on the report. An Israeli defense ministry spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Change Stance Or Lose Support For Gaza War, Biden's Warning For Netanyahu

WASHIONGTON, Dec 13: US President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday that the country risked losing global support for its war against Hamas because of its "indiscriminate" bombing of Gaza.

In his most blunt remarks since the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which provoked the current conflict, Biden told donors that Netanyahu needed to "change" his stance on a two-state solution for the Palestinians.

Netanyahu meanwhile said there was "disagreement" with Biden over how a post-conflict Gaza would be governed, reflecting a rare rift after weeks in which the US leader has strongly backed Israel.

Biden told a campaign event in Washington that Israel had "most of the world supporting it" after the Hamas attacks, in which Israel tallied 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians. Hundreds were also taken hostage.

"But they're starting to lose that support by the indiscriminate bombing that takes place," Biden said.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said Tuesday that more than 18,400 people -- also mostly civilians -- had been killed in Israel's retaliatory bombardment of the coastal territory.

Biden had previously refrained from describing Israeli bombing as "indiscriminate."

And speaking later Tuesday at a news conference, Biden toned down his comments somewhat.

He said that the United States has to support Israel in the face of the brutality of October 7, but that "the safety of innocent Palestinians is still of great concern."

He also announced that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will be sent to Israel this week for discussions with the war cabinet.

The US president also dismissed arguments that he said Netanyahu had made about Allied forces in World War II having "carpet-bombed" Germany and used nuclear weapons against Japan.

Biden said he'd told Netanyahu that international institutions were set up after the war "to see to it that it didn't happen again" and reiterated that the United States had made "mistakes" after the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York.

Biden then said that Netanyahu had a "tough decision to make" regarding his hard-right government.

"He's a good friend, but I think he has to change, and, with this government, this government in Israel is making it very difficult for him to move."

"They don't want a two-state solution," he said, describing it as the "most conservative government in Israel's history."

His comments reflect a growing split over what happens after the war, with US calls for Gaza to be turned over to a strengthened Palestinian Authority receiving a cool reception in Israel.

The Palestinian Authority is currently in charge of the West Bank while Islamist Hamas controls the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu said following a conversation with Biden that there was "disagreement" between the allies over "the day after Hamas."

The Israeli premier said he hoped "we will reach agreement here" but he vowed not to "repeat the mistake of Oslo," referring to the 1993 peace accords signed in the United States.

Washington has been calling for weeks for Israel to take more care to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza, saying that too many Palestinians have been killed.

An increasing number of voices in the United States, notably from the left wing of the Democratic Party, have called on Biden to take a firmer stand toward his Israeli ally, and even to condition US military aid.

Biden sounded similar warnings about Israel losing global support during a ceremony at the White House on Monday, to mark the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

"We have to be careful. They have to be careful. The whole world's public opinion can shift overnight, we can't let that happen," he told guests.

FBI Chief To Visit India Amid Probe Into Plot To Kill Khalistani Terrorist

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: FBI Director Christopher Wray will visit India next week against the backdrop of Washington's allegations about an Indian link to a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil.

US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti referred to Wray's upcoming visit at an event on Wednesday while talking about the strength of US-India relationship and frequency of visits to New Delhi by top Biden administration officials.

"This was the Number 1 country she (US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen) went outside the United States -- four times this year. The Secretary of State (Antony Blinken) just came here for the third time. Secretary of Defense (Lloyd Austin) for the second time. The FBI director is here next week," he said.

It is expected that Wray will hold talks with senior Indian security officials.

The Washington Post last week reported that the Biden administration was so concerned after discovering the plot to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun 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.

US Principal Deputy NSA Jonathan Finer visited India this week during which he held talks with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Deputy NSA Vikran Misri.

Following the visit, the White House said Finer conveyed to New Delhi the importance of holding accountable anyone found responsible in the probe announced by India to investigate the alleged Indian link to the "lethal plotting".

Last week, India described as a "matter of concern" the US linking an Indian official to a man charged with conspiring to kill Pannun. It said 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 the allegations.

The US federal prosecutors charged Nikhil Gupta, 52, of working with an Indian government employee in the conspiracy to kill Pannun.

US deputy NSA raised plot to kill Khalistani leader with India: White House

WASHINGTON, Dec 5: US principal deputy national security advisor Jonathan Finer has informed his Indian interlocutors of the importance of holding accountable anyone found responsible for allegedly plotting to kill a Khalistani leader on American soil.

Finer, who was in New Delhi for a review of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), raised the plot during meetings with Indian officials, according to a readout from the White House.

He was the first US security official to hold publicly acknowledged meetings with the Indian leadership since American prosecutors alleged last week that Indian national Nikhil Gupta had worked with an official purportedly responsible for intelligence in a thwarted plot to assassinate Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Finer “acknowledged India’s establishment of a Committee of Enquiry to investigate lethal plotting in the United States and the importance of holding accountable anyone found responsible”, the White House readout said without giving details.

The readout also didn’t specify with which Indian officials Finer had raised the issue. The readout said Finer “conducted bilateral and regional consultations” with external affairs minister S Jaishankar, national security advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra and deputy national security advisor Vikram Misri.

Finer and Misri carried out an intersessional review of the iCET, which the White House readout described as a “major milestone in the US-India partnership, which is increasingly defined by strategic security and technology cooperation”.

The readout added that Finer’s consultations with the other Indian officials were in-depth discussions aimed at strengthening coordination and policy alignment across the Indo-Pacific, including the wider Indian Ocean region.

The two sides also discussed the Middle East, including the recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the importance of safeguarding freedom of commercial navigation, plans for a post-conflict Gaza and a pathway toward a two-state solution.

India has set up a high-level inquiry committee to examine the allegations of a conspiracy to kill Pannun, a senior leader of the outlawed SFJ who has already been declared a terrorist by India. New Delhi has described the indictment filed against Nikhil Gupta in a US federal court in Manhattan as a “matter of concern” and said that follow-up action will be taken on the findings of the inquiry committee.

US warships and commercial vessels attacked by drones in Red Sea: Report

WASHINGTON, Dec 3: An American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said, potentially marking a major escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

“We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon said.

The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

The British military earlier said there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in the Red Sea, without elaborating.

The Pentagon did not identify where it believed the fire came from. However, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been launching a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, as well as launching drones and missiles targeting Israel as it wages war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the attack began about 10 a.m. in Sanaa, Yemen, and had gone on for as much as five hours. Another U.S. official who similarly spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason said the Carney had intercepted at least one drone during the attack.

There was no immediate comment from the Houthis. However, a Houthi military spokesman earlier said an “important” statement would be released shortly.

Global shipping had increasingly been targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even as a truce briefly halted fighting and Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, the collapse of the truce and the resumption of punishing Israeli airstrikes and its ground offensive there had raised the risk of the seaborne attacks resuming.

Earlier in November, the Houthis seized a vehicle transport ship also linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Missiles also landed near another U.S. warship last week after it assisted a vessel linked to Israel that had briefly been seized by gunmen.

However, the Houthis had not directly targeted the Americans for some time, further raising the stakes in the growing maritime conflict. In 2016, the U.S. launched Tomahawk cruise missiles that destroyed three coastal radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory to retaliate for missiles being fired at U.S. Navy ships at the time.

Blinken Says 'Look Forward To Results' As India Probes Murder Plot Charge

TEL AVIV, Dec 1: New Delhi announcing an investigation into allegations by the US that an Indian official was involved in a foiled plot to assassinate a Khalistani terrorist in the United States is good and appropriate, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.

"The government announced today that it was conducting an investigation, and that's good and appropriate, and we look forward to seeing the results," Blinken told reporters travelling with him in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Blinken was responding to a question on the appearance of an unnamed Indian official in an indictment filed by federal US prosecutors in a Manhattan court on Wednesday along with an Indian national, who the Department of Justice alleges hired someone in the US to assassinate Pannun, a vocal critic of India and espousing the cause of separate Khalistan.

"This is an ongoing legal matter. So you'll understand I can't comment on it in detail. I can say that this is something we take very seriously. A number of us have raised this directly with the Indian Government in past weeks," Blinken said.

'Take It Very Seriously': US After Indian Charged In Alleged Murder Plot

WASHINGTON, Dec 1: The White House National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby, stressed on Friday that the US continues to improve its strategic partnership with India.

On the other side, he added that the US "takes this very seriously," referring to the indictment by the US Department of Justice against an Indian in an alleged foiled assassination plot.

While speaking at a press briefing, Kirby said, "India remains a strategic partner, and we are going to continue to work to improve and strengthen that strategic partnership with India."

Referring to the US Justice Department indictment of an Indian national in an alleged foiled assassination plot in the US, Kirby added, "At the same time, we take this very seriously. These allegations and this investigation, we take very seriously."

He further said that we are glad to see that India is also taking it seriously by announcing their "own efforts to investigate this."

"We have been clear that we want to see anybody that's responsible for these alleged crimes to be held properly accountable...," Kirby stressed.

The US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against an Indian national for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate a US-based leader of the Sikh Separatist Movement and a citizen in New York.

The US Justice Department has claimed that an Indian government employee (named CC-1), who was not identified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, recruited an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to allegedly carry out the assassination of the Sikh Separatist, which was foiled by US authorities.

The US Justice Department claimed that Gupta, is an associate of CC-1, and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with CC-1. The indictment claims CC -1 directed the assassination plot from India.

Moreover, in a news briefing the MEA on Thursday said that a case filed against an individual in a US court and allegedly linking him to an Indian official is a "matter of concern" and is contrary to government policy.

"We cannot share any further information on such security matters. As regards the case against an individual that has been filed in a US court allegedly linking him to an Indian official, this is a matter of concern. We have said and let me reiterate that this is contrary to government policy," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

"The nexus between organised crime, trafficking and gun running and extremists at an international level is a serious issue for law enforcement agencies and organisations to consider and it is precisely for that reason that a high-level committee has been constituted and we will obviously be guided by its results," he added.