Executive Summary:
Khalistani extremists, who aim to form a sovereign Sikh state in India’s Punjab region, are a contentious issue at the forefront of Indo-Western relations. While far diminished from its peak in the 1980s-90s, Khalistani terrorism still poses a threat to India’s internal security. In response, Delhi engages in transnational repression of Sikhs, including assassinations of Sikh activists, even those living outside of India.
Indian officials likely overstate Khalistani terrorism abroad, particularly Pakistan’s involvement, without backing from Western intelligence. BJP-aligned media bolster these narratives with disinformation to serve internal political objectives.
Image Sourced From: Joe Flood