Cyber Espionage: India’s Pannun Probe Revelation

In New Delhi, the Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, emphasized on Monday that the inquiry into the purported implication of a governmental figure in the plot to assassinate Khalistani radical Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is intertwined with India’s strategic security concerns.

Jaishankar elucidated to journalists, stating, “Our pursuit of this matter is underpinned by the conviction that our country’s strategic security concerns are entangled with this inquiry.” This response was prompted by a query concerning remarks made by US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, who labeled the involvement of a government official in a plot to assassinate a foreign national as an “unacceptable boundary.”

Highlighting the perspective of the Indian government, Jaishankar remarked, “The expressed views of the US ambassador reflect the stance or perspective of his government. In this specific instance, our government has received certain intelligence inputs that warrant investigation.” He further iterated that India’s national security concerns are deeply implicated in this matter.

He continued, “Hence, we will disclose pertinent details regarding the investigation when appropriate. As of now, our statement is confined to the fact that an investigation is underway.” Responding to queries about Indian citizens ensnared in the Ukraine conflict after being enticed to Russia with promises of employment, Jaishankar stated that India has vehemently raised the issue with the Russian authorities.

“We are diligently striving to repatriate these individuals safely to India,” he affirmed. Last month, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had divulged that several Indians had fallen victim to deception, lured into working with the Russian military. New Delhi has taken robust action to secure their prompt release, cautioning Indian nationals against succumbing to the allure of employment offers with the Russian military, citing significant perils and threats to life.