The long-simmering tensions between Sikh separatists and the Indian government have erupted once again onto the international stage, with a dramatic series of developments unfolding across continents. At the heart of the storm is the Khalistan movement, which seeks an independent Sikh homeland, and the ongoing legal saga surrounding Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national now facing a raft of criminal charges in the United States.
Despite mounting pressure and what Sikh leaders describe as aggressive tactics from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, the Khalistan campaign is not only persisting—it appears to be gaining momentum. Inderjit Singh Gosal, coordinator of the Sikhs for Justice movement, recently announced that the next high-profile Khalistan referendum will take place in Ottawa, Canada, on November 23, 2025. The event, Gosal declared, will be organized in full support of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the group’s general counsel and an outspoken critic of the Indian government.
According to Minute Mirror, Pannun has been unsparing in his condemnation of Modi’s government, accusing it of fabricating criminal charges against Sikh leaders in an attempt to muzzle dissent. “Ajit Doval, your summons is ready, and I am waiting for you,” Pannun warned, directly addressing India’s National Security Advisor and daring the Indian government to attempt his arrest in Canada, the United States, or Europe. His message was clear: the Ottawa referendum will go ahead as planned, with expectations of a large Sikh turnout.
The rhetoric from Sikh separatist leaders has escalated in tandem with their allegations that India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), is running covert operations abroad aimed at intimidating and targeting Sikh activists. These efforts, they claim, have only backfired, uniting Sikhs globally behind the call for Khalistan.
But the movement’s resurgence has not been confined to political activism and referendums. According to Indian media reports cited by Minute Mirror, the Shaheedi Force unit of the Punjab Self-Determination Alliance—a group linked to the Khalistan movement—has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a police station in Amritsar last month. The August 10 incident, which involved an improvised explosive device (IED) at the Gharinda police station, was reportedly carried out by members Satnam Singh, Makh Singh, and Baba Singh. The group’s leadership described the attack as retaliation for what they called “ongoing exploitation and injustice against Sikhs in India.” They also issued a chilling warning: similar assaults would continue if police raids and harassment of Khalistan activists did not cease.
The atmosphere in Punjab and across the Sikh diaspora has been further charged by the observance of India’s Independence Day on August 15 as a “Black Day.” Sikh communities marked the occasion in protest, amplifying separatist grievances and highlighting what they see as the central government’s unfair treatment of local populations and control over resources without tangible benefits for residents. Separatist groups, according to Minute Mirror, are gaining traction not just in Punjab but in other regions of India as well, fueled by a sense of marginalization.
Meanwhile, the legal and diplomatic drama surrounding Nikhil Gupta has added a new layer of complexity to the situation. As reported by The Tribune, Gupta, an Indian national, is currently in a US jail facing an array of serious charges: money laundering, credit card fraud, drug and weapons trafficking, and, most notably, involvement in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Gupta’s story is as international as the separatist movement itself. Arrested in the Czech Republic, he was extradited to the United States in June 2024. His trial is set to begin in November 2025 at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The US Attorney’s office has filed a motion in limine—a procedural move to allow specific evidence or testimony at trial—seeking to include evidence of Gupta soliciting the murders of individuals other than Pannun.
The US government alleges that Gupta and Vikas Yadav, an official of India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) who was on deputation to RAW, began collaborating around early May 2023. According to court documents, Yadav asked Gupta to arrange the murder of Pannun as well as another individual in Nepal or Pakistan. In exchange, Yadav allegedly offered help in dismissing a criminal case pending against Gupta in India. The US application further claims that Gupta and Yadav were “engaged in the planning of additional murders in Canada and in Nepal or Pakistan.”
But the charges do not stop at murder-for-hire. The US application accuses Gupta of trafficking narcotics and firearms from 2013 to 2023, as well as international money laundering and credit card fraud. The breadth of these allegations underscores the complex and shadowy networks that have emerged around the Khalistan movement—and the high stakes for all involved.
For its part, the Indian government has denied any official involvement in plots to target Sikh activists abroad, characterizing such claims as attempts to discredit India on the world stage. However, the US government’s decision to bring these charges—and to publicize the alleged connection between Gupta, Yadav, and India’s intelligence apparatus—has put New Delhi on the defensive. The Indian government’s critics, including Pannun and other separatist leaders, argue that these developments vindicate their long-standing claims of state-sponsored repression and extraterritorial operations.
The diplomatic fallout has been significant. Canada, the site of the upcoming referendum, has already experienced strained relations with India over similar allegations of interference and attempts to silence Sikh activists on Canadian soil. The United States, by moving forward with the prosecution of Gupta and making public the details of the alleged murder-for-hire plot, has signaled its willingness to challenge India on issues of human rights and extraterritorial actions.
Yet, for many Sikhs, the struggle remains deeply personal and rooted in historical grievances. The Khalistan movement, while controversial and divisive, is seen by its supporters as a response to decades of perceived injustice, discrimination, and heavy-handed security measures in Punjab and beyond. The movement’s critics, however, warn that its resurgence risks further destabilizing the region and providing cover for violence and criminality.
As the November referendum in Ottawa approaches, all eyes will be on the turnout and the message it sends—not just to New Delhi, but to Sikh communities around the world. The outcome, whatever it may be, is unlikely to resolve the deep-seated issues at play. But it will undoubtedly shape the next chapter in a conflict that has already spilled far beyond India’s borders.
The coming months promise to be pivotal, as courtrooms in New York, streets in Ottawa, and communities from Punjab to Canada grapple with the complex realities of identity, sovereignty, and justice. The world, it seems, is watching closely.
