Modi hosts Czech PM as Pannun murder-plot accused Gupta remains in jail

Both the leaders discussed ways to advance bilateral ties between India and the Czech Republic, especially in the knowledge, technology and scientific fields.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted his Czech Republic counterpart, Petr Fiala, in Gandhinagar on Wednesday, even as Nikhil Gupta, a 52-year-old citizen of India, remained incarcerated in Prague six months after his arrest in the Central European country following an extradition request from the United States.

The US sent the request to the Czech Republic for the extradition of Nikhil Gupta as an investigation purportedly revealed that he had been trying at the behest of a Government of India official to hire a hitman to assassinate Khalistani Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.  

Modi and Fiala discussed ways to advance bilateral ties between India and the Czech Republic, especially in the knowledge, technology and scientific fields.

The officials did not confirm if the two leaders discussed the incarceration of Gupta in the Czech Republic although the issue emerged as an irritant between India and the US over the past few weeks.

They underlined the importance of innovations in the defence field and the defence industry. They note with satisfaction the existing connections among their entities in the areas. They are committed to further encouraging their cooperation including, R&D, training and innovative production solutions involving Czech and Indian stakeholders.

Gupta was arrested by a law enforcement agency in the Czech Republic on June 30 last year following an extradition request by the US. A few weeks later, the US formally requested the Czech Republic to extradite him. The Municipal Court in Prague already ruled in favour of his extradition, but it has not yet been carried out. He was recently moved to the high-security wing of the jail in Prague after the US agencies alerted the authorities in Czechia about the possibility of an attempt to kill him.

The US prosecutors on November 29 last year alleged that Gupta had been an associate of an official of an agency of the Government of India and the official had engaged him to hire a hitman to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the general counsel of the secessionist organization Sikhs for Justice. 

The prime minister noted that several Czech companies had partnered with manufacturers in India in the defence, railways, and aviation sectors under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. He also highlighted that India’s growth story and the robust industrial base of the Czech Republic make the two nations ideal partners in the global supply chain.

Modi and Fiala adopted a joint statement on the India-Czechia strategic partnership on innovation after their meeting in Gandhinagar on Wednesday.

The joint statement underlined the importance of innovations in the defence and the defence industry. The two leaders noted with satisfaction the existing connections among their entities in the areas. They are committed to further encouraging their cooperation including, research and development, training and innovative production solutions involving Czech and Indian stakeholders.

The prime ministers of the two nations expressed their desire to enhance the dialogue on cyber security, cyber governance, cybercrime, space security, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear defence and countering hybrid threats through cooperation between relevant agencies and stakeholders, sharing of best practices, skills and capacity building.

They intend to cooperate in the multilateral fora including the United Nations on cyber matters of mutual interest, according to the joint statement issued after the Modi-Fiala meeting.