Amid Pannun case, India and US to hold security talks this week: Report

India and US will be discussing several topics including anti-Khalistani elements during the Homeland Security Dialogue.

India and the United States are expected to hold the Homeland Security Dialogue (HSD) on February 28, The Indian Express reported. This comes months after the US federal prosecutors accused an Indian official of being involved in a plot to kill Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun (AP)

According to the report, a US government delegation, headed by the acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security Kristie Canegallo will be visiting India for the talks with officials of the union home ministry.

The two countries will be discussing several topics including anti-Khalistani elements, immigration, counter-narcotics, border, group supply chain security, law enforcement investigative cooperation, local and state law enforcement engagements, child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, trade and economic security, cyber security, and proposal for the electronic travel document, the report said.

However, there are likely to be no discussions on any issues related to the Pannun case.

The report said that India has prepared several presentations on the range of topics to be discussed with the US delegation.

About the India-US Homeland Security Dialogue

Introduced in 2010 as a mechanism to a sequel to the signing of the India-US counter-terrorism initiative, the first Homeland Security Dialogue between India and the US was held in May 2011. Former US President Donald Trump had discontinued the dialogue during his tenure, however, it came back into effect in 2021 after Joe Biden came to power.

Notably, there are six sub-groups formed under the Indo-US HSD which cover several areas including - Illicit finance, financial fraud and counterfeiting, cyber information, megacity policing and sharing of information among federal, state and local partners, global supply chain, transportation, port, border and maritime security, capacity building, and technology upgradation.