US says in touch with Indian partners on security following attacks at diplomatic missions

United States State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel emphasised the importance of ensuring the safety and security of diplomatic missions and the diplomats who serve in them, highlighting that relations with the US with India and Pakistan stood on their own and not as a "zero-sum proposition". His remarks came following two attacks by Khalistan supporters on Indian missions in America. Patel has stated that the US was closely coordinating with Indian partners on a range of issues, including embassy security. 

"We take the safety and security of the diplomatic missions that we host in the UN and diplomats that work in them quite seriously. We are in close touch with our Indian partners on a number of issues, but including on this we made sure to remain in close touch with them as well as the appropriate local entities, depending on where these various missions and consulates were located," US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

"The US values its important relationship with both our Indian partners and Pakistan as well, and these relationships stand on their own and are not a zero-sum proposition," he said.

During a news conference on Tuesday, the deputy spokesperson of the US State Department criticised the acts of violence that occurred at Indian diplomatic facilities in the United States, stating that protests involving violence are never acceptable.

"Consistent with our Vienna Convention obligations, the department is committed to taking all appropriate steps, including coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities, to protect the safety and security of these facilities and the diplomatic individuals who work within them as well," he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

"We condemn the recent violent incidents that have taken place during protests at Indian diplomatic facilities in the United States. We support the First Amendment rights of protesters and engagement in free speech activities. However, violence or the threat of violence is never an acceptable form of protest," he added.

"Attacks against journalists are never acceptable and we condemn any incidents of violence against a member of the media just doing their job and any act of violence or vandalism against a diplomatic facility as well," he emphasised.

Vedant Patel responded to a question regarding the violent protests that took place outside the Indian Embassy in Washington DC and the vandalism of the Indian consulate in San Francisco. Last week, a group of Khalistan supporters attempted to incite violence and threatened the Indian envoy during a protest outside the Indian Embassy, but law enforcement agencies prevented them from causing damage.

A few days earlier, pro-Khalistan protesters vandalised the Indian consulate in San Francisco. India expressed its strong disapproval of the incident and urged the US government to take necessary measures to prevent similar events from occurring again. India also expects the host governments to prosecute those responsible for vandalising Indian missions abroad, rather than providing mere assurances.

Recently, pro-Khalistan activists also vandalised Indian missions in the UK, Australia, and Canada following police action against Amritpal Singh, a radical preacher in Punjab who is currently evading arrest.