NEW DELHI: An Indian enquiry committee’s report on the foiled plot to kill US-based Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is a “very positive first step” but doesn’t mark a “closed chapter” for both countries as action remains to be taken, outgoing US ambassador Eric Garcetti said on Thursday.
Garcetti, who is set to step down this week, also said in an interview that the Indian government should address the country’s nuclear liability law to drive civil nuclear cooperation with the US following Washington’s removal of restrictions on key Indian atomic entities. Edited excerpts:
India’s home ministry has announced that the enquiry committee investigating the “murder for hire” plot has submitted its report. How do you see what has been said publicly? Does it address US concerns? Some have portrayed this as a closed chapter now that the report has been submitted. What’s your take on this?
I see it as a very positive step. It’s the delivery of what India promised – accountability and systemic reforms. We haven’t seen the report yet and obviously there’s a case still going on in New York. But you know, to all the doubters who said, oh, will India actually sit down and listen, will you be able to talk about this? I think the US listens to India more than a couple of years ago and vice versa. When it comes to threats to Indian diplomats like San Francisco and things like that, there’s really been growth and understanding of the perspective of India and vice versa. When we’ve been very clear about lines that cannot be crossed, India has taken that seriously and governments make mistakes. People should be held accountable and this is a very positive first step.
I would say the legal case has its own trajectory, but this opens up the path. It’s not a closed chapter for India or for America, because the report itself says [that it is] recommending action. So those actions presumably will have to be taken, prosecutors will have to win victories but it’s a very positive step.
Would you like to contrast what happened between India and the US and what happened between India and Canada, because the cases are similar and there is collaboration between the US and Canada as members of the Five Eyes alliance?
Well, I think a lot of people overplay that. Our criminal justice systems are independent from even us, as political appointees, let alone between each other. My deep understanding is both in Canada and in the US, the criminal justice system has pursued these things independent from each other and independent from political interference. But I would hope that two dear friends of the US will have the space in the coming months to really have a rapprochement to be able to, as we’ve done, listen to each other, hold accountable where there’s criminal activity, and look at where we can have diplomatic healing, that I think India and Canada have always had in a very close way.
So, if the US can play a positive role there, I think that we’ve been pretty consistent about being open to that. But we’ve also been clear, out of respect, these are two sovereign states that will talk to each other and often have to take the actions they need to take.
There was a significant announcement by NSA Jake Sullivan, when he was here in Delhi, on nuclear-related trade and a notification on Wednesday about removing Indian nuclear entities from a US entity list. Where do you see things going in terms of civil nuclear cooperation?
You know, our nuclear agreement opened the chapter that we are now in some ways closing. A generation ago, this close, this deep of a relationship between the US and India was unimaginable. A generation from now, it’ll be seen as indispensable, not just to us and our people, but I think to the world. But [civil nuclear] liability for civil nuclear activity is still an issue that we engage with, Prime Minister [Narendra Modi] and President [Joe Biden] spoke about it and we still have some steps to take. But this is a step in investing in that, of saying look, we can continue to not deliver the promise of that accord for American nuclear companies, or we can figure out ways to work together. I think this is a sign that you will see India-US technology shared, liability shared and that we can move beyond the rhetoric of the Cold War and really acknowledge just what dear and close friends we are right now.
Other countries will compete and dominate the nuclear technology, whether it’s China or others, if we don’t get this together. But imagine the US and India doing this together, meeting India’s energy needs without climate change being affected, propelling future ships and transportation. Really, the sky is the limit, and I was very excited to work on this, excited to see this announcement, and moving forward from our administration and I have no doubt that the Trump administration will carry that ball forward.
Would you say that India still needs to do more to address the nuclear liability clause?
Absolutely. I mean that was the promise of India…In fairness, Prime Minister Modi told the President we absolutely want to find a way to move forward and my conversations privately with both the Opposition and BJP here is that they both think there’s a responsible way forward, where there’s some shared liability but also not such a high bar, that no progress moves forward and other countries dominate this space.
The India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) has been a groundbreaking move but there are some who think it hasn’t moved at the pace it should have. Do you think this is a fair criticism, or do you think you’ve done enough?
No, I think it didn’t exist two years ago. I think it’s a miracle to have established and I think it’s going to be a permanent part of our relationship. We see the world as a place where technology shouldn’t harm us and divide us. But where they should protect us and connect us. And we’ve seen in two years record semiconductor investments from American companies here, we’ve seen telecommunication systems without Chinese equipment, open RAN [radio access network] systems built out by Indian companies. In the space and defence sector, I couldn’t imagine it would go as quickly as it did, whether it’s a satellite we’re putting into space together, or an astronaut or new weapon systems or the best engines ever made in the world that we’re sharing with India for the next generation of fighter jets.
I think with AI and quantum, our work is cut out as a world, and for the US-India relationship to figure out where are we going to make an impact there. But I know the new administration, already in the briefings I’ve had, Michael Waltz, who’s our incoming national security advisor, wants to carry that work on critical and emerging technologies forward. Similarly, some of the other initiatives like during the G20, the IMEC [India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor] for India and the Middle East, that’s something this next administration will be focused on.
So, I think sometimes people think this is just the work of one administration. This is the work of the US and India. This is the work that this moment calls for, and that the challenges demand and I’m confident that that will continue.
President Biden in his speech on Wednesday spoke about an oligarchy in America, the rise of the tech industrial complex and the spread of disinformation. Do you think that’s going to be a factor going forward in the India-US relationship. Also, President-elect Trump has spoken about imposing reciprocal tariffs on India. Do you see any road bumps ahead in the relationship because of this?
I don’t think that President Biden was talking about the US-India relationship. I think he’s talking to us as two democratic countries, that our obligation as citizens is to safeguard against misinformation, not to assume your WhatsApp video might not be artificial intelligence creating disinformation about what our leaders say. The best defence is an informed citizenry and two countries whose values are constitutional democracies.
I think the trade conversation is a good one. I hope that President Trump’s words help us elevate a more honest conversation, as I’ve called for. Now that we’ve resolved all the trade disputes that we had, that were outstanding, we’ve set the table for a feast.
But it cannot be that we let our bureaucracies take baby steps. If we’re going to replace our over-dependence on China for critical supply chains, if we are to be able to reap the benefits from pharmaceuticals to artificial intelligence, we’ve got to be bigger, bolder and ambitious. I think what president-elect Trump is saying [is that] there’s consequences if we don’t, but there’s also opportunities if we do.
How are you going to look back at your stint in India? What do you think are your significant achievements and are you going away with any regrets?
Besides putting cricket into the Olympics? Literally zero regrets, 27 states and six union territories later, from the waters of Kanyakumari to the passes of Ladakh in the winter, from Nagaland’s jungles to the Rajasthan deserts, I’ve seen more of this beautiful country that I’ve always loved. I can even say I’ve fallen in love with it a second time.
No regrets. We’ve packed in – we say in America, dog years are like seven years of human life – like two dog years or 14 years of work. When the prime minister visited the US [in 2022], if you have five to 10 accomplishments, that’s considered a good state visit. We had 173 of them.
The way I look at this is really we’re finally aligned. This isn’t about leaders. Even though we’ve had great ones, the most pro-Indian president in history, the most pro-American prime minister in history. This is about our people demanding it. It’s about cutting through the BS and saying when we have more Indians who have come to America, we’ve been stronger as a country. When we brought more American investment to India, it’s created more jobs.
Like get past the comments section of social media, get past the naysayers, get past the doubters and the mis-informers. And get to what our people on the street are saying – Americans love Indians, Indians love Americans. There’s a lot of things we can’t do on our own. But there’s nothing we can’t do together. So, zero regrets, just really fond memories and when I leave India, I’m not leaving the US-India relationship. This is something I’m in for life, and I know that our countries are as well.