"No role for any gratuitous advice by unrelated third parties": MEA on China's comments on Pannun case

Hitting back at China over its comments on the investigation into the foiled assassination plot against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India and the United States are capable of dealing with any issues between the two countries. The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, added that there is no role for any "speculative comments and gratuitous advice" by "unrelated third parties."

This comes after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, during a press conference, said that the relevant countries must observe international law and the basic norms governing international relations. "China noted the reports. We hope relevant countries will earnestly observe international law and the basic norms governing international relations," Jian said.

Addressing the weekly press briefing on Thursday, the MEA spokesperson said, "India and the United States, as two countries adhering to the rule of law, are capable of dealing with any issues that we have between ourselves. There is no role for any speculative comments and gratuitous advice by unrelated third parties." Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship.

As per the US Justice Department indictment, an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, who is currently in custody, has been charged with the murder-for-hire of Pannun. The US Justice Department had claimed that an Indian government employee, who was not identified in the indictment filed, had recruited the Indian national to hire a hitman to allegedly carry out the assassination of Pannun, which was foiled by US authorities.

Last year, India formed a committee to inquire into the allegations of the foiled assassination plot. In December last year, US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer acknowledged India's establishment of a Committee of Enquiry to investigate the plot to allegedly kill Pannun in the US. (ANI)

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