In a development that could mark a watershed moment in counter-terror cooperation between India and the United States, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Kash Patel has confirmed active coordination with India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) to bring charges against Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia — a designated terrorist of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). Patel’s announcement, made on social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), came just days after Passia’s arrest in Sacramento, California, and has sent strong signals about Washington’s changing stance on Khalistani extremism.
Patel’s remarks are being seen as a categorical acknowledgment by the US of the severity of extremist violence linked to Khalistani outfits, particularly in Punjab. For decades, Indian agencies — such as the NIA – central counter-terrorism law enforcement agency, and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) – India’s main international intelligence agency — have identified BKI, Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), and other affiliated groups as terrorist organizations. However, intelligence agencies in the US and other Western countries had often downplayed these threats, framing them as political dissent or freedom of expression under asylum protections.
That position now appears to be shifting under the Trump administration. “FBI will go after those who perpetrate violence,” wrote Patel, adding that Harpreet Singh, who illegally entered the US via the UK route on an Indian passport, was apprehended for plotting attacks on police stations in both India and the US.
The case is of particular concern to Punjab, where Passia and his Pakistan-based handler Harvinder Singh Sandhu, popularly known as Rinda, have been linked to a wave of terror attacks. These include a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) strike on Qila Lal Singh police establishment in Gurdaspur in April 2025 and a planted IED device near the Ajnala police station in November 2024. The targets consistently included police personnel, Hindu leaders, religious processions, and liquor contractors — all aimed at creating fear and raising terror funds.
Investigations revealed that 28-year-old Passia began as a member of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang before transitioning into full-scale terrorism under Rinda’s mentorship. He is accused in at least 10 FIRs linked to 16 terror incidents in Punjab between late 2024 and early 2025, including 14 hand grenade attacks, an IED blast, and an RPG assault.
The FBI’s action has been hailed by Indian security agencies as a long-overdue reckoning for Khalistani terror operatives who had previously operated with near impunity from foreign soil. Sources said that the cooperation between the FBI and NIA could pave the way for wider crackdowns on terrorist financing and recruitment networks, many of which are reportedly linked to radicalized Gurdwaras in the US, UK, and Canada.
Perhaps the most chilling aspect of the Passia case is the recruitment model. According to Punjab Police, the Rinda-Passia nexus targeted vulnerable Punjabi youth — particularly drug addicts — with offers of cash or drugs in exchange for carrying out attacks. In December 2024, police arrested a 17-year-old who confessed to planting an IED at Ajnala police station. He admitted to being lured with narcotics and money.
Passia was also involved in coordinating with overseas collaborators, including Gurudev Singh and Gurpreet Singh based in the US, and Swaran Singh from Germany. His arrest has brought hope that these international networks — long seen as a menace to Punjab’s peace and security — may finally face international scrutiny.
With a Rs five lakh bounty placed on him by the NIA following his role in a grenade attack on a retired police officer in Chandigarh, Happy Passia’s capture marksed a breakthrough. More importantly, it underscored an evolving understanding among international agencies that Khalistani extremism is not merely a political movement, but a terrorist threat with global ramifications.