In recent years, the Khalistan movement—a campaign for a separate Sikh homeland—has resurfaced in headlines, not only in India but across the globe. Yet, as reports from late August 2025 reveal, the movement's momentum appears increasingly driven by a small group of activists abroad, rather than by the broader Sikh community in India.
On August 29, 2025, a report cited by Khalsa Vox painted a telling picture of the Khalistan demand. According to the report, the movement, which gained visibility after 1970, was "primarily driven by fringe elements in India and abroad." The historical context is crucial: before the 1947 partition, Sikh political leaders had "willingly opted for India over Pakistan," signaling a collective choice that has largely held steady among Sikhs in India. Today, the vast majority of Sikhs in India have "accepted this reality and do not support the demand for an independent homeland under the name of Khalistan."
The roots of the Khalistan campaign stretch back decades. It began with figures like Jagjit Singh Chauhan and later included Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Dal Khalsa, and various militant groups active in the 1980s and 1990s. More recently, Simranjit Singh Maan and the US-based, now-banned 'Sikhs for Justice' (SFJ) group have taken up the cause, with Amritpal Singh emerging as the latest face of the movement. But, as Khalsa Vox notes, the campaign has repeatedly failed to gain broad traction in Punjab, India's Sikh heartland.
What explains the lack of widespread support? The report suggests that the painful memories of the 1980s and 1990s—a period marked by violence and upheaval—have left a deep impression on Sikhs in Punjab. Coupled with the rise of social media, which has made it easier for people to access diverse viewpoints and information, these experiences have made the Sikh community in Punjab wary of separatist rhetoric. As the report puts it, "the main reason for the failure of the Khalistan movement is the awareness gained by people in Punjab through their experiences in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as their easy access to social media."
Yet, while the movement has largely failed to take root in India, it has found more vocal proponents among the Sikh diaspora in countries like the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. Many of these activists, the report claims, have been granted political asylum by their host countries and, with greater resources at their disposal, "have become more aggressive in promoting the Khalistan agenda." This has led to a series of disturbances abroad, most notably in March 2023, when protests erupted following Indian government actions against Amritpal Singh and his supporters in Punjab.
But even these overseas efforts have not gone unchallenged. The Khalsa Vox report argues that such protests "will eventually prove more detrimental to the Khalistan cause and may become problematic for the protesters themselves, as the concerned governments will need to take strict measures to maintain domestic stability and safeguard their diplomatic relations with India." The report goes so far as to call the saga of Amritpal Singh's failed campaign "an eye-opener for everyone, marking the failure of the Khalistan conspiracy."
The question of political opportunism also looms large. According to Khalsa Vox, the demand for Khalistan was, from the outset, "a conspiracy hatched by unscrupulous and opportunistic political parties in India seeking to create polarisation within the Indian community along communal lines and garner sympathy and votes during elections." While such tactics may have generated headlines, they have failed to secure lasting support among the Sikh mainstream.
Meanwhile, the Khalistan issue has become entangled with other controversies abroad. On August 30, 2025, SocialNews.XYZ reported on a tragic incident in Florida involving Harjinder Singh, an Indian-origin truck driver whose reckless driving resulted in the deaths of three people. The leader of the banned SFJ group, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, seized upon the incident to promote his separatist agenda. Rather than acknowledging the gravity of Harjinder Singh's actions—he attempted an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike, blocking all lanes and causing a fatal collision—Pannun portrayed him as a victim and offered $100,000 in compensation to the victims’ families. Critics swiftly denounced the gesture as a publicity stunt designed to gain political mileage.
The response from the broader Sikh community in the US was clear. According to Thailand's media outlet Page 3 News, several US-based Sikh organizations distanced themselves from SFJ, emphasizing that "political propaganda must not be used to cover up road safety violations and criminal negligence." A Florida-based Sikh community leader who attended the victims’ vigil told Page 3 News, "Pannun is once again trying to hijack a community tragedy to push his extremist agenda. This was about honouring the victims, not giving a platform to separatist politics." The vigil, meant to honor the memories of Herby Dufresne, Faniola Joseph, and Rodrique Dor, was marred by Pannun's attempts to politicize the tragedy.
Observers at the event noted that the focus should have remained on the victims and their grieving families, not on amplifying extremist narratives. The report further highlighted that SFJ and its leadership are "already under global scrutiny." India has banned the outfit for promoting terrorism, and intelligence agencies in the US, Canada, and the UK have repeatedly flagged its activities as a security concern. Pannun himself is facing multiple terror-financing investigations.
The events in Florida underscore a broader trend: the Khalistan movement's most vocal advocates abroad are increasingly isolated, both from mainstream Sikh communities and from the governments of their host countries. Even as they attempt to leverage tragedies for political gain, the backlash from within the Sikh diaspora and the scrutiny of law enforcement agencies have limited their influence.
Back in India, the lesson from recent decades is clear. As Khalsa Vox concludes, "It is crucial for the vested interests among politicians in India to exercise caution in the future." The Sikh community, both at home and abroad, has shown a strong preference for unity, remembrance, and justice over divisive separatist politics.
The Khalistan movement, once a source of significant unrest, now faces a reality in which its most fervent supporters are increasingly on the margins. With the majority of Sikhs in India having accepted their place in the country, and diaspora communities pushing back against extremist narratives, the movement’s prospects appear dim. As governments worldwide tighten their grip on groups seen as promoting instability, the era of Khalistan as a rallying cry seems to be drawing to a close.
