A US lawmaker has urged a review of American arms sales to India and pushed for new legislation after a congressional briefing on alleged transnational repression warned of risks to US national security. Congressman Jim McGovern, co‑chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, on July 14 asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reassess India’s eligibility for weapons transfers under the Arms Export Control Act and called on Congress to pass the bipartisan, bicameral Transnational Repression Policy Act.
The briefing, titled “India’s Transnational Repression: Implications for US National Security,” took place on Capitol Hill and was organised by Equitas Forum USA alongside Hindus for Human Rights, the Sikh Coalition, the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF), the New York State Council of Churches and the Dalit Solidarity Forum, with support from the office of Congresswoman Summer Lee.
Speakers warned that hostile states increasingly target diaspora communities abroad. Daniel Stanton, a former senior officer with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, said such states exploit organised criminal networks to intimidate, threaten family members back home, recruit proxies and enable violent attacks — a pattern he argued should not be treated as isolated incidents. Stephen Schneck, former chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), noted that the commission’s 2026 annual report again recommended, for the seventh consecutive year, that India be designated a “Country of Particular Concern.” India has rejected the report, saying it misrepresents facts and “peddles a motivated narrative.”
Panelists pressed for stronger legal tools and accountability. Allison McManus of the Centre for American Progress warned that strategic partnerships should not shield governments from scrutiny. Katie LaRoque of Freedom House called for an official, codified definition of transnational repression in US law. Harjot Singh of the Sikh Coalition said the phenomenon is “not merely an attack on individual communities” but a threat to US sovereignty, civil liberties and public safety.
Other speakers stressed the chilling effect on civic life and the need for consequences when foreign governments allegedly seek to surveil, intimidate or harm people living in the United States. Equitas Forum USA’s Sarita Pandey said no foreign government should be allowed to target residents without repercussions.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/world/us-congressman-urges-review-of-arms-sales-to-india-over-alleged-transnational-repression-14032360.html
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Publish Date: 2026-07-19 07:50:00
