India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, strongly rejected a civil lawsuit filed in a U.S. federal court by designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun against National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Samant Goel, labeling the claims “fabricated, malicious, and frivolous”.
The response follows confirmation from the U.S. State Department that it had delivered diplomatic summonses issued by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York regarding the civil suit.
Official MEA Response & Legal Protocols
Addressing reporters at a press briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal underscored India’s firm objection to the proceedings and clarified the mandatory legal procedure for serving international judicial documents:
- Outright Rejection: Jaiswal stated: “We reject the fabricated and malicious attacks on our high officials. Also, we reject the frivolous lawsuits.”
- Designated Legal Channel: The MEA emphasized that any formal request to serve judicial documents within India must strictly follow international protocol by going through the designated central authority—the Ministry of Law and Justice.
- U.S. Diplomatic Stance: The U.S. State Department clarified via a diplomatic note that transmitting summonses under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) is a mandatory administrative procedure and does not represent an endorsement of the lawsuit’s merits or jurisdiction.
“We reject the fabricated and malicious attacks on our high officials. A request for serving judicial documents in India can only be routed through the Ministry of Law and Justice.”
— Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs