Justice, Sovereignty, & Liberation: Sikh Diplomacy At The UN

"[SFI’s] recent success in getting the UNHRC to acknowledge India’s transnational repression of Sikhs marks a crucial step towards proactively internationalizing the politics of our struggle..."

Moninder Singh & Prabjot Singh
January 27, 2025 | 6 min. read | Analysis

In October 2024, the Sikh Federation International (SFI) was formalized with the explicit aim of restoring Khalsa jee ke bol baale (Sikh sovereignty) in the current world order. In order to achieve this, the Sikh Federation International set out to engage in diplomacy and advocacy around the world to support the establishment of an independent, sovereign Khalistan.

At a time when Sikhs around the world continue to be targeted by Indian security agencies, the Federation’s recent success in getting the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to acknowledge India’s transnational repression of Sikhs marks a crucial step towards proactively internationalizing the politics of our struggle rather than simply reacting to the actions of others around us or reducing our sangarsh (struggle) to a series of human rights violations.

When SFI was established, we immediately set our objectives to develop internal Panthic capacity while simultaneously establishing effective mechanisms of global advocacy. Alongside developing solidarity and coordination with other movements and oppressed peoples, we set out to combat India’s ongoing transnational repression and political interference through transparent mechanisms to ensure that India’s actions are not obscured behind the secrecy of bilateral diplomacy or buried in domestic legal processes.

Furthering these objectives, an SFI delegation participated in the 1st World Congress on Enforced Disappearances in Geneva, Switzerland, where we engaged with global leaders, international experts, as well as key UN officials and representatives who lead human rights mechanisms that respond to enforced disappearances.

While recognizing the important contributions of international movements and communities, particularly those from the Global South who helped shape the international human rights architecture, we emphasized the importance of justice to ensure that human rights instruments are not limited to simple reactionary defence mechanisms. Rather than relying on the unequal global institutions of today’s world to solve our problems, Sikh diplomacy needs to utilize global forums to challenge international power imbalances, engage in direct dialogue with peoples around the world, and boldly articulate the unique Sikh vision for sarbat da bhala and just governance that is envisioned in Khalistan.

Moninder Singh at the UN in Geneva for 1st World Congress on Enforced Disappearances

Days later in response to the formal complaint filed by the Sikh Federation on behalf of Shaheed Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s family, several Special Rapporteurs appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) publicly released their Communication with the Government of India on January 18, 2025. The 16-page document provides a detailed analysis of India’s numerous violations of international law and human rights covenants as a result of its attacks on Bhai Hardeep Singh and other exiled Sikh activists, as well as the systematic use of Indian legislation to repress activists in Punjab advocating for an independent Khalistan.

The rapporteurs expressed grave concern at reports of “continuing, systematic attacks by Indian authorities on Sikh activists in Canada, the United States, and other countries, including private and public harassment and intimidation, threats of violence and death, and the planning of physical attacks.” In addition to the individual attacks on exiled activists around the world, the rapporteurs clearly identified the systematic pattern that India uses to repress Sikh activists from public life by targeting them under India’s anti-terror legislation, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (“UAPA”). While assessing how Bhai Hardeep Singh was officially designated a “terrorist” by the Government of India, the Communication identifies the systematic features of the legislation which allows the Indian state to target political dissidents with an “excessively broad and ambiguous” definition of “terrorism” that encompasses political activity and expression.

As a result of India’s actions and legalized violence through UAPA, the government has been able to criminalize political advocacy for Sikh self-determination in Punjab while using its intelligence agencies and diplomatic officials to orchestrate violence against exiled Sikh activists around the world.

This Communication is not just a recognition of human rights violations; it is a legal and moral indictment of India’s sustained efforts to crush Sikh political expression around the world. The rapporteurs conclude that these attacks are leading to an “increasingly hostile situation in Punjab.” The continued targeting of Sikhs in this way has the explosive potential of accelerating conflict and instability in Punjab with dangerous ramifications for the broader region.

For too long, India has used its geopolitical leverage to suppress meaningful scrutiny of its actions, framing the Sikh struggle as an illegitimate act of so-called “terrorism.” The UNHRC’s publication, however, directly challenges this narrative, reiterating that the Sikh struggle is not a fringe issue but a political conflict that cannot simply be crushed militarily.

This is where the work of the SFI becomes imperative. The leadership of the SFI is made up of recognised Khalistani leadership from around the world who have pushed this work in a variety of forms for decades; individuals who have been exiled from their homeland due to their direct participation, leadership, and ongoing support for the Sikh struggle since 1984. This communication follows years of painstaking work, persistent advocacy, and active struggle by our bajurgs and a new generation of panth dardi committed to furthering our collective struggle.

Prabjot Singh at the UN in Geneva for 1st World Congress on Enforced Disappearances

Throughout our participation in Geneva, we sought to highlight the ways in which current international systems—despite their claims to impartiality—have failed to address the root causes of conflict and human rights abuses. Too often, these systems have been complicit in simply maintaining the status quo, which only serves the interests of powerful states while marginalizing the voices of oppressed peoples around the world. Our engagement with these institutions cannot just be about highlighting violations but about critiquing a global order that has created the conditions that allow such violations to flourish unchecked in the first place.

International forums like the UN or even the Human Rights Council cannot simply be reactionary in the current moment; they must be leveraged to confront the underlying power dynamics that perpetuate injustice and genocide in order to proactively move towards political solutions. This approach to international diplomacy, far from being idealistic, is grounded in the practical realities that Sikhs face daily—where the push for self-determination is met with state violence and international indifference. In calling for a transformation of the international system as a whole, SFI is not only advocating for the establishment of a sovereign Sikh homeland, but also for a broader shift to transform international structures so that marginalized peoples everywhere have a meaningful role in global governance rather than merely being subjected to the whims of more powerful nations.

This engagement is not an isolated achievement but part of a broader strategy to counter Indian disinformation and mobilize global support for Sikh sovereignty using every means and platform possible. It is about ensuring that the international community cannot ignore the ongoing violations against Sikhs—whether in Punjab or those in exile throughout the diaspora. By securing this UNHRC communication, the Federation has not only pushed a global institution to acknowledge the political realities of the Sikh struggle but also created an opening for further legal and diplomatic actions that expose Indian violence while centring Sikh aspirations for sovereignty.

However, this is just the beginning. We understand that justice and sovereignty for Sikhs is not a matter of charity or goodwill; it is a necessity that must be fought for by relying on the autonomous strength of Guru Granth-Guru Panth. As India’s violent repression continues, and as global geopolitical tensions in South Asia increase, it is evident that the current global systems are ill-equipped to handle the complexities of these issues. We cannot afford to wait for these systems to change on their own. SFI’s work is a constant reminder that our fight is not about seeking approval or recognition from others but about proactively asserting our rights and aspirations using every method and tactic permitted by Guru Sahib.

Given the increasing political turmoil and instability within Punjab, South Asia, and the broader global system, it is imperative that Sikhs around the world take steps to develop collective leadership structures beyond the direct grasp of the Indian state in our pursuit for the establishment of Khalistan. The shifts underway make it clear that the risks of geopolitical competition and conflict in South Asia are increasing rapidly. As this region becomes increasingly important in economic, military, social, and political terms, the Guru Khalsa Panth must be organized as a global stakeholder in order to proactively participate in shaping the future of the region and broader world order–rather than simply being used as a bargaining chip by other powers.

Moninder Singh is a naujawan panthic activist who has been involved in gurmat parchar for over two decades. He is a founder of the Khalistan Centre and has been involved in many Sikh organizations including as the former Mukh Sevadar of Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar in Surrey BC, National Spokesperson for the Sikh Federation (Canada), and a member of Sikh Federation International. From challenging the 2018 inclusion of Sikhs in the "Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada" to countering Indian transnational repression, Moninder Singh has remained an active participant and voice on the front lines of issues impacting Sikhs in the diaspora. Moninder Singh has been an outspoken critic of India and has unapologetically represented the Sikh sangarsh in media outlets around the world, including CNN, CBC, Al Jazeera, ABC and countless others.

Prabjot Singh is a lawyer and writer who has been involved in Sikh student organizations, panthic jathebandiyan, and grassroots political movements for over fifteen years. He has an MA in South Asian Studies where he focussed on the intellectual history of the Khalistan movement. Prabjot Singh is legal counsel for the Sikh Federation (Canada), Editor of the Panth-Punjab Project and a sevadar of the Khalistan Centre. His ongoing work on Sikh political theory, public policy, and law has been published in a number of platforms based in Punjab as well as the diaspora, including The Guardian, Sikh Shahadat, Bibekgarh Prakashan, Manitoba Law Journal, and the Global Justice Journal.

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