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Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray is to be in India today as part of his two day visit to the country.
The Minitry of external affairs had earlier said that this visit was part of the the ongoing cooperation between the US and India on areas of security and counter terrorism. "We have robust security, cyber security, counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics terrorism with the US agencies. We also engage in capacity building programs...as part of this ongoing bilateral cooperation visit by the FBI director is in the works," MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said on December 7. The US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, had earlier confirmed the visit of FBI Director Wray. Wray's planned visit comes amid a US federal investigation into an alleged foiled plot to assassinate, India designated terrorist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, for which the US administration levelled allegations against an Indian national and an Indian agency official. Speaking about India-US relations during a panel discussion at the Carnegie 'Global Technology Summit' held in New Delhi on December 7, Ambassador Eric Garcetti had said, "This was the Number 1 country she (US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen) went to outside the United States. Four times this year. The Secretary of State (Antony Blinken) just came here for the third time. Secretary of Defence (Lloyd Austin) for the second time. The FBI director is here next week." The FBI director is also expected to meet the officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to the sources, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is preparing to take up the issue of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun with the visiting US official. It is expected that Wray will also meet officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here in the national capital during his India visit, said sources. The FBI Director's visit is aimed at strengthening cooperation between the US and India on a range of law enforcement issues, and it comes days after US Principal Deputy National Security Adviser (NSA), Jonathan Finer, was in Delhi on December 4 to meet with Vikram Misri, India's Deputy National Security Adviser. During the visit Finer also called on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Jon Finer had acknowledged India's establishment of a Committee of Enquiry to investigate the alleged foiled assasination plot in the US. Earlier, the United States charged an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire for allegedly plotting to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City. As per the court documents filed by the US Justice Department, an unnamed Indian government official colluded with Gupta in the plot to kill Pannun. Subsequently, New Delhi has formed a high-level special Enquiry Committee to thoroughly investigate the issue. (ANI)
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