India reaffirms commitment to fighting terrorism, transnational crime with US
Synopsis
India's MEA has publicly backed the sweeping US Operation Hard Ball indictments — 37 defendants, 24 arrests, three continents — while Canada's RCMP confirmed Indian authorities cooperated throughout the probe and found no evidence linking Indian officials to the investigation. The statement is a pointed reaffirmation of India-US-Canada security alignment against diaspora-targeting crime networks.
Key Takeaways
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on 14 July reaffirmed India's commitment to combating transnational organised crime and terrorism alongside international partners.
Operation Hard Ball , launched by the US Department of Justice on 8 July , charged 37 defendants from three criminal organisations; 24 suspects have been arrested.
Charges include racketeering, murder, extortion, kidnapping, firearms trafficking, and drug trafficking across the US , Canada , and Europe .
RCMP Deputy Commissioner Lisa Moreland confirmed Indian authorities cooperated in the investigation and said no evidence links Indian government officials to the probe.
The Lawrence Bishnoi organised crime group was specifically named in the US indictments as responsible for targeting Indian diaspora communities in North America.
India on Tuesday, 14 July reaffirmed its commitment to combating transnational organised crime, terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and illicit arms trade, calling these threats 'serious dangers to our societies.' The statement from New Delhi came in direct response to sweeping US federal indictments targeting global crime networks that have preyed on Indian diaspora communities across North America.
What the MEA Said
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the weekly media briefing in New Delhi, underscoring the strength of India-US law enforcement cooperation. 'India and the United States, as you are aware, enjoy strong, effective and growing cooperation in combating terrorism as well as transnational organised crime. Our agencies in India and the United States have been working closely over the years, and this cooperation continues to strengthen and deepen,' Jaiswal said.
He noted that India had taken cognisance of the announcements by the US Department of Justice regarding indictments and enforcement actions against transnational criminal networks operating across multiple countries.
Operation Hard Ball and the US Indictments
The backdrop to India's statement is Operation Hard Ball, launched by the US Department of Justice on 8 July (local time). The operation resulted in charges against 37 defendants linked to three transnational criminal organisations, accused of racketeering, murder, extortion, kidnapping, firearms trafficking, and large-scale drug trafficking across the United States, Canada, and Europe. As many as 24 suspects have been arrested in the multinational crackdown.
'These criminal organisations have engaged in widespread violence, including targeted killings, extortions, and kidnappings,' said First Assistant US Attorney Bilal A. Essayli while announcing the charges in Los Angeles. The indictments specifically noted that some of these groups had targeted Indian diaspora communities across North America through murder, extortion, and intimidation to build fear and expand their criminal enterprises.
Canada Clears India, Confirms Cooperation
A senior Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) official last week confirmed that investigators found no evidence linking Indian government officials to the US investigation. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Lisa Moreland stated that Indian authorities had actively assisted investigators throughout the years-long probe.
'What I can say to you is in this investigation, as you noted from our US partners, that the Indian government was cooperating in this investigation. We work shoulder and shoulder with the FBI and other agencies to address this,' Moreland said in an interview following the announcement.
The indictments unsealed by US authorities attributed responsibility to members of the Lawrence Bishnoi organised crime group, among others. Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was among the 37 defendants charged in the operation.
India's Response to the RCMP Statement
Responding directly to a question on Moreland's remarks, MEA spokesperson Jaiswal said they were consistent with the recently unsealed US indictment. 'India remains committed to working with its partners to combat terrorism and transnational organised crime through close law enforcement and security cooperation,' he said.
This comes amid a broader pattern of India deepening bilateral security ties with Western nations, particularly on cross-border crime networks that exploit diaspora communities. With 24 arrests already made and investigations spanning three continents, the next phase of Operation Hard Ball is expected to yield further enforcement actions.
Point of View
On-record endorsement of Operation Hard Ball is diplomatically deliberate — it positions New Delhi as a cooperative partner in a Western-led enforcement action at a moment when India-Canada relations remain strained over other security disputes. The RCMP's explicit clearance of Indian government officials is significant and has received less attention than it deserves. What this episode also reveals is the growing operational reach of India-origin crime networks in the diaspora — a domestic law enforcement failure that international indictments are now exposing more visibly than Indian authorities have themselves acknowledged.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Operation Hard Ball and why does it involve India?
Operation Hard Ball is a US Department of Justice enforcement action announced on 8 July that charged 37 defendants linked to three transnational criminal organisations with offences including murder, extortion, kidnapping, and drug trafficking across the US, Canada, and Europe. It involves India because several of these criminal groups specifically targeted Indian diaspora communities in North America, and the Lawrence Bishnoi organised crime group — based in India — was named in the indictments.
What did India's MEA say about the US indictments?
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had noted the US Department of Justice announcements and reaffirmed that transnational organised crime, terrorism, and related networks pose serious threats to societies. He emphasised that India and the US share strong and growing cooperation in combating these threats, with agencies from both sides working in close coordination.
Did Canada's RCMP find any Indian government involvement in the crimes?
No. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Lisa Moreland confirmed that investigators found no evidence linking Indian government officials to the US investigation. She also stated that Indian authorities cooperated with investigators throughout the years-long probe.
Who is Lawrence Bishnoi and what is his role in the indictments?
Lawrence Bishnoi is a gangster whose organised crime group was named in the US federal indictments as part of Operation Hard Ball. US authorities attributed responsibility for several offences — including targeting Indian diaspora communities through violence and extortion — to members of the Bishnoi group.
How many people have been arrested in Operation Hard Ball?
As of the latest reports, 24 suspects have been arrested as part of the multinational Operation Hard Ball, out of 37 defendants charged across three transnational criminal organisations.
