India Rejects Pannun’s Threats Against National Security Adviser, R&AW Chief

India on Tuesday maintained that the US midterm elections are an internal matter of Washington, while emphasising that relations between the two countries continue to have strong bipartisan backing.

The statement came after the Democratic Party secured victories in both chambers of the US Congress, delivering a significant setback to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

Addressing questions about the election outcome, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had no specific comments on the domestic political developments in the US. He, however, reiterated India’s commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with Washington.

“The midterm elections are an internal matter of the US. I have no specific comment on them, beyond underlining that the India-United States relationship enjoys strong bipartisan support in the US. We continue to work to further strengthen our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the US,” Jaiswal stated.

Democrats’ Performance Puts Trump Under Political Pressure

The midterm election results have dealt a major blow to Trump’s Republican Party, with Democrats gaining control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The elections, held two years into the presidential term, were widely seen as a public assessment of Trump’s second-term policies.

India-US relations have faced several challenges over the past two years, particularly concerning trade tariffs, visa restrictions, deportations and immigration policies. Differences have also emerged over Washington’s engagement with Pakistan’s military establishment.

MEA Hits Back At USCIRF’s Criticism

Jaiswal also criticised the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) over its recent observations on religious freedom in India.

Describing the commission as biased and politically driven, he questioned its credibility and alleged that it had ignored incidents of attacks on religious sites in the US as well as hate crimes and racial abuse targeting the Indian community.

“As I have said before, the USCIRF is a biased and ill-informed organisation with a blatantly political agenda. It is particularly telling that the USCIRF and its Commissioners have consistently chosen to remain silent on attacks on religious places in the US and on the hate crimes and racial abuse targeted at the Indian community in the US. A prejudiced entity can hardly be taken seriously,” he said.

The remarks followed a USCIRF post on X last week quoting Commissioners David Anderson and Joe Grogan, who expressed concerns over reported attacks on Sikh gurdwaras and other religious places in India.

Anderson urged the US government to consider linking security assistance to India’s response to incidents of religious violence. Grogan called on Washington to continue pressing New Delhi to ensure accountability for attacks on churches, gurdwaras and mosques.

India Explains Engagement With US Lobbying Firms

The MEA also defended India’s decision to engage lobbying firms in Washington to maintain communication with the US administration and lawmakers.

A report by The Indian Express published on November 7, citing Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) disclosures, stated that lobbying firm SHW Partners LLC had facilitated eight telephone conversations between Indian officials and senior White House representatives in May and June 2026.

Responding to questions about the disclosures, Jaiswal said employing lobbying firms for diplomatic outreach was a regular practice in the US. He added that India’s diplomatic missions had been engaging such firms in Washington DC since 1948.

According to him, these activities are carried out in accordance with applicable American laws, including FARA, under which lobbying firms are required to disclose their activities publicly.

India Rejects Pannun’s Legal Action Against Indian Officials

The MEA also rejected the lawsuit filed by Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US against senior Indian officials, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Samant Goel.

The response followed an order by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York allowing Pannun to pursue the service of summons on the two officials through Indian courts.

Rejecting the allegations, Jaiswal termed the legal proceedings frivolous and described the accusations against Indian officials as fabricated and malicious.

“We reject the fabricated and malicious attacks on our high officials. Also, we reject the frivolous lawsuits. A request for the service of judicial documents in India can only be routed through India’s designated central authority, which is the Ministry of Law and Justice,” he said.

India’s response comes amid continuing diplomatic efforts to strengthen bilateral relations despite differences over trade, immigration, security and religious freedom-related issues.